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Raging wildfires in France follow Western Europe’s warmest June on record: Report

July 9, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As hundreds of firefighters are battling wildfires that have ignited across France and other parts of western Europe, climate scientists released a report this week showing the region experienced its warmest June on record.

Sweltering temperatures in Western Europe in June, including a heat wave that broke records across several countries, are now extending into July, with a heat wave returning amidst multiple wildfires in France and other parts of Western Europe.

Last month’s deadly western European heat wave occurred not only during the hottest June on record for Western Europe, but it was the second warmest globally, according to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, a European Union scientific Earth observation program.

“June 2026 underscored how profoundly the climate is changing. Western Europe recorded its warmest June on record, and continued record warmth in the global ocean,” Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), said in the report.

She noted that the record-breaking heat reflects “a climate system continuing to accumulate heat.”

“The result is increasingly intense heatwaves, a persistently warm ocean, and growing risks for people, ecosystems and infrastructure across Europe and beyond,” Burgess said.

The report comes as wildfires have broken out in parts of Western Europe amid a severe drought.

Wildfires have broken out in Spain, Portugal and Greece.

The biggest wildfire in Western Europe is raging in the Pyrénées of France, prompting organizers of the famed Tour de France road cycling race, which started on Saturday in Barcelona, Spain, to ban spectators from lining the route in the mountainous region.

“The exceptionally large wildfire currently raging in the Pyrénées-Orientales is requiring a massive mobilization of wildfire-fighting resources, internal security forces, and all government agencies,” race organizers said in a statement. “The top priority remains the protection of people, property, and natural areas, as well as bringing the fire under control.”

Race organizers said only cyclists participating in the Tour de France and their supporting teams are authorized to travel the race route, which officials are trying to keep clear for emergency traffic.

The blaze in southwestern France near the Spanish border has burned 4,936 hectares, or a little over 12,000 acres, French officials said in a social media post on Wednesday.

At least 12,000 people had been evacuated from 27 municipalities across the Pyrénées-Orientales, although some have been allowed to return home as flames have subsided in some areas, authorities said.

The Pyrénées town of Vinça, which has a population of about 2,200, remained evacuated on Wednesday along with 11 other villages in the region.

Video from the region showed homes and vehicles burned, and huge swaths of forestland blackened. Firefighting aircraft were also filmed swooping down on burning areas, dropping fire retardant.

Earlier this week, the European Union announced it was sending such aircraft to France from Sweden and Cyprus.

About 450 firefighters are battling the fire in the Pyrénées from the ground and the air, but are struggling to gain control of the wildfire amid triple-digit temperatures in the area and wind gusts of up to 30 mph, officials said. Another 170 gendarmes, or law enforcement officers, have also been dispatched to the region to support the firefighting effort.

Firefighters appeared to make progress in battling the fire, reporting Wednesday that the conflagration did not expand overnight.

Temperatures in parts of southwestern France are forecast to reach 105 degrees on Wednesday, with temperatures climbing to 95 degrees and above across three-quarters of the country.

Most of the country is under an “elevated” fire alert.

High to very high fire danger warnings remained in effect on Wednesday in at least 54 departments — or local regional areas, including the Pyrénées-Orientales department, officials said.

Before the current wildfire outbreak, the highest number of departments under high or very high fire danger warnings at the same time was 29 in 2025, authorities noted.

Officials and experts have noted the fire season has begun weeks earlier than usual in France amid the unseasonal extreme heat wave that hit Europe in June. The heat wave has returned this week.

Scientists have said the record temperatures are being pushed up by climate change.

A 22-year-old firefighter was killed while battling a blaze in the Savoie region in the French Alps on Tuesday night, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said in a social media post on Wednesday.

Fire danger warnings have also been issued in the Rhône Valley in southeast France, and across the central and western regions of the country.

The danger is expected to remain at a high level through this week across most of the country, given the lack of rain, scorching temperature and low humidity, authorities said.

ABC News’ Matthew Glasser contributed to this report.

Former Olympian David Hearn pleads not guilty to charge in Reflecting Pool case

July 9, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — pleaded not guilty through his attorney to the felony charge he faces for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

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

Secret Service urged Trump to depart Turkey on old Air Force One as a security precaution, sources say

July 9, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The Secret Service urged President Donald Trump to fly out of Turkey on the old Air Force One instead of the newly retrofitted Qatari-gifted plane out of an abundance of caution amid the escalation with Iran, multiple sources familiar with the plans told ABC News.

The Qatari-gifted plane left the NATO summit in Turkey earlier in the day for Mildenhall Air Force Base in England, a move Trump claimed Wednesday morning was for members of the military to tour the aircraft.

While Trump has said the change in plane had nothing to do with security concerns, he also reiterated, when asked by reporters if security concerns caused the change in flight plans, that he’s “No. 1 on the kill list for Iran.”

The change in plans was not prompted by a specific threat, but influenced in part by differences in the plane security capabilities, two U.S. officials told ABC News.

Mike Centrella, the Secret Service’s former head of field operations, said the law enforcement agency “simply doesn’t take chances when it comes to the president’s safety, whether at home or abroad.”

“Presidential travel is incredibly complex, and every movement and potential risk is carefully considered,” Centrella told ABC News. “The mindset is always the same: plan for what you know, prepare for what you don’t and make sure you’re ready for the unexpected.”

Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, told ABC News on Thursday that “the new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the president and his staff. As the president has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal — including distraction and misdirection — to address those threats.”

The New York Times first reported on the Secret Service recommendation.

When the president ultimately left Turkey in the old Air Force One to link up with the new plane in England, passengers on the aircraft were instructed to keep their windows down during the flight. According to flight data, the plane carrying the president did not turn on its tracker until it was over the Black Sea near Istanbul.

Despite continuing to insist there was no security issue that prompted him to change planes for his Turkey departure, Trump suggested that the passengers may have been asked to keep their window shades down because they were “probably on a dangerous flight.”

“Well, yeah, because you’re, you know, probably on a dangerous flight, because of the sleaze bags that we have to deal with,” Trump said, referring to Iran.

While the administration insists that the newly acquired plane meets the safety and security requirements necessary to fly the president, the speed of the retrofitting, which took about one year, has raised questions about whether the Qatari-gifted plane boasts the same defensive security measures as the old plane.

Many of the details of the retrofitting on the new plane are considered classified. The Air Force has said the new plane is “safe, secure and equipped with the most advanced technologies necessary to meet the requirements of the presidential mission. Those requirements were carefully crafted to prioritize mission over aesthetics, leaving much of the previous head of state interior layout minimally changed.”

On Tuesday, a group of Senate Democrats sent a letter to Air Force Secretary Troy Meink demanding transparency into the project from the Air Force and L3Harris, claiming the administration is ignoring national security concerns so in service of delivering Trump a “fancy plane for his personal enjoyment.”

Trump took his first trip in the newly retrofitted plane last week on a trip to North Dakota.

Before the first trip, the U.S. Air Force had been modifying the jet in Texas since September to meet the security, communications and other needs to transport the president. The Air Force had estimated it would cost less than $400 million to retrofit the gift.

The plane is to be used as the new Air Force One until shortly before Trump leaves office, at which time ownership of the plane will be transferred to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation, sources familiar with the proposed arrangement have told ABC News.

Death toll from Venezuela earthquakes climbs over 3,600

July 8, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(VENEZUELA) — The death toll in Venezuela has climbed to at least 3,685 in the wake of the two powerful earthquakes that devastated the country, Venezuelan lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said.

The pair of earthquakes struck on June 24, knocking down buildings, sending residents fleeing for safety and trapping some survivors under the rubble for days. Thousands were injured and more than 26,000 people were impacted, including those who lost homes or saw serious damage to their homes, officials said.

Nine Americans are among the dead, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on Fox News on Tuesday.

John Barrett, Chargé d’Affaires of the American embassy in Caracas, said Tuesday that the U.S. was “assisting the Venezuelans in terms of storing and caring for the deceased remains that are being pulled out of the rubble.”

“The government reports that they have accounted and identified the vast majority of bodies received, but they’re continuing to go through that process, and as I understand it, are collecting DNA fingerprints, dental records from those bodies that they’re in the process of still waiting to identify in coordination with family members,” he said.

Barrett said the four U.S. urban search and rescue teams sent to Venezuela have “completed their mission and returned home.”

“We are deeply grateful for their service. These highly skilled men and women helped save six lives and brought hope to countless families during Venezuela’s darkest hours,” he said. “The Department of State Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) remains on the ground, working alongside partners to deliver food, water, medical care, shelter, and other critical assistance to affected communities.”

Click here for information on how to help the victims.

ABC News’ Will Gretsky and Shannon Kingston contributed to this report.

Raging wildfires in France prompt thousands of evacuations in 27 towns

July 8, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(FRANCE) — Amid widespread severe drought and sweltering temperatures, hundreds of firefighters are battling to contain multiple wildfires that have ignited in France, destroying homes and prompting thousands of evacuations, authorities said.

The biggest wildfire is raging in the Pyrénées, prompting organizers of the famed Tour de France road cycling race, which started on Saturday in Barcelona, Spain, to ban spectators from lining the route in the mountainous region.

The blaze in southwestern France near the Spanish border has burned 4,936 hectares, or a little over 12,000 acres, French officials said in a social media post on Wednesday.

The Pyrénées town of Vinça, which has a population of about 2,200, remained evacuated on Wednesday along with 11 other villages in the region.

Video from the region showed homes and vehicles burned, and huge swaths of forestland blackened. Firefighting aircraft were also filmed swooping down on burning areas, dropping fire retardant.

Earlier this week, the European Union announced it was sending such aircraft to France from Sweden and Cyprus.

Firefighters appeared to make progress in battling the fire, reporting Wednesday that the conflagration did not expand overnight.

Temperatures in parts of southwestern France are forecast to reach 105 degrees on Wednesday, with temperatures climbing to 95 degrees and above across three-quarters of the country.

Most of the country is under an “elevated” fire alert.

High to very high fire danger warnings remained in effect on Wednesday in at least 54 departments — or local regional areas, including the Pyrénées-Orientales department, officials said.

Before the current wildfire outbreak, the highest number of departments under high or very high fire danger warnings at the same time was 29 in 2025, authorities noted.

Officials and experts have noted the fire season has begun weeks earlier than usual in France amid the unseasonal extreme heat wave that hit Europe in June. The heat wave has returned this week.

Scientists have said the record temperatures are being pushed up by climate change.

A 22-year-old firefighter was killed while battling a blaze in the Savoie region in the French Alps on Tuesday night, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said in a social media post on Wednesday.

Fire danger warnings have also been issued in the Rhône Valley in southeast France, and across the central and western regions of the country.

The danger is expected to remain at a high level through this week across most of the country, given the lack of rain, scorching temperature and low humidity, authorities said.

Trial for alleged Jan. 6 pipe bomber set for February

July 8, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Brian Cole Jr., the Virginia man charged with placing pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters the night before the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, is set to go to trial in February, a federal judge said during a court hearing Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Amir Ali set the trial date for Feb. 16 based on a request from Cole’s lawyers, who pointed to massive tranches of evidence the government has shared with them stemming from the roughly five-year investigation into the placement of the pipe bombs.

Cole has pleaded not guilty in the case.

The government and Cole’s attorneys said they expect the trial could take as long as two weeks.

Both sides will next return to court on Sept. 10 for a status conference.

On Monday, Judge Ali ruled that the sweeping clemency granted by President Donald Trump for all of the individuals charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack does not apply to Cole.

Cole’s defense attorneys had argued that Cole should be covered by President Trump’s pardons on the basis that his actions were allegedly related to Congress’ convening of the joint session the next day.

Angry crowd confronts Republican Rep. Mike Flood at Nebraska town hall over Trump policies

July 8, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(BELLUVUE, Neb.) — While Congress is out of session this week, a House Republican encountered a hostile crowd at a heated town hall meeting in Bellevue, Nebraska, Tuesday night – a sour reception that may preview the tenor other lawmakers could face heading into the midterm elections.

Rep. Mike Flood faced repeated boos and shouts from audience members as they pressed him on the SAVE America Act, Israel, NATO, the bipartisan housing bill, the Trump administration’s policies and more, as seen on video of the town hall recorded by ABC affiliate KETV in Omaha.

While it’s uncertain how many in the audience were constituents, Tuesday’s contentious event wasn’t the first time Flood has found himself before angry crowds at town halls. Flood was shouted down and booed in Seward, Nebraska, where hundreds of people attended his town hall May 28 of last year, while defending the then-proposed One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The month after Trump signed the bill into law, Flood faced a hostile crowd once more during an August town hall in Lincoln as the audience questioned its impact on Medicaid.

“F—— liar!” one attendee shouted at Flood Tuesday while he was discussing violent crime rates declining and the Trump administration’s ongoing deportation efforts.

“Listen, violent crime is down – ask the people of Washington, D.C., how much safer Washington is today compared to a year ago,” Flood said as the audience jeered.

“Violent crime is down in American cities. Violent crime is down in New York City. A lot of people that came here that were committing crimes have either been incarcerated or deported. The numbers speak for themselves,” Flood said.

Flood also was drowned out by the audience as he voiced his support for the proposed SAVE America Act and voter ID laws – key issues that are part of President Donald Trump’s policy agenda.

“What I can’t stand is what is so objectionable about having to show a driver’s license, a passport, or a birth certificate at your place where you vote,” Flood said, as the attendees booed.

The congressman further said that while Nebraska in his “opinion” deals with “little” election fraud, he added, “when people believe that our elections are secure, it breeds respect for the law, our democracy, our country, our election leaders. There are so many benefits.”

A man in the audience demanded the congressman explain the evidence he has to back up claims of election fraud, which Trump continues to promote without evidence to support his claims. Flood pushed back, saying he believes Joe Biden was duly elected president in the 2020 election.

”I have never argued that there was an inaccurate result, and I always recognized Joe Biden was our president, so I am not a congressman that has ever made that claim,” Flood responded.

Constituents further heckled Flood when the congressman said, “I want to be very clear: We have no greater ally in the Middle East than Israel,” prompting loud boos from the audience.

“What happened in Israel was horrific,” Flood said, referring to the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas. “If that had happened on our soil, we as Americans would rise up and eliminate that threat.”

As the conversation continued to scrutinize the Trump administration’s foreign policy, Flood also appeared to defend the administration’s actions in Iran.

“We need to finish the job. We cannot put up with a regime that in the last 12 months has killed 45,000 of their own people. That is wrong. We have to have moral clarity here,” he said. “I support Israel.”

While Trump attends the NATO Summit in Turkey, Flood said he fully supports the alliance, declaring it “has contributed greatly to the security of the world. I think they’re an important part of us.”

Flood received a more positive response regarding other topics, such as when he called Russian President Vladimir Putin “a thug” and voiced his support for Ukraine. He also earned some applause when he expressed confidence that the bipartisan housing bill currently on Trump’s desk will become law.

“If [Trump] doesn’t sign it, it becomes law, and the good news about this is next week it’s likely to be a public law,” he said. “That’s what I’m focusing on – bipartisan common-sense results.”

However, when Flood brought up the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which includes massive cuts to government benefits such as Medicaid and SNAP food assistance, the audience loudly booed. Several constituents raised concerns about losing SNAP benefits under the new law.

“I want people that are food insecure to get resources. I also want people that are able-bodied and can work to work. If you don’t work, you shouldn’t expect free healthcare,” Flood said.

Flood’s comments about Medicaid prompted one audience member to shout “tax the rich” in response.

Child using computer shocked by electrical current after lightning strikes house: Authorities

July 8, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(HOUSTON, Texas) — A child was injured after lightning struck his Texas home and the electrical current traveled through the home’s wiring, shocking him while he used a computer, according to authorities.

The incident occurred Tuesday in Cypress, a Houston suburb. The electrical current caused a small fire in the home’s attic, in addition to injuring the boy, according to Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman.

The 14-year-old was evaluated by emergency medical services personnel at the scene and was not transported to a hospital, according to the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office.

The Cypress Creek Fire Department also responded, authorities said.

The investigation remains ongoing, Herman said.

The forecast for the Houston area on Tuesday called for isolated thunderstorms and showers.

Herman issued a safety warning following the incident, saying in a statement, “During thunderstorms, avoid using corded electronics and stay away from electrical wiring and plumbing, as lightning can travel through a home’s electrical system.”

Trump says he’ll remove Syria as state sponsor of terrorism for the first time since 1979

July 8, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump, sitting next to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the NATO summit in Turkey, said Wednesday that he will remove Syria from the State Department’s State Sponsors of Terrorism list.

“He’s done a great job. Maybe he would have brought that up. That’s a good question. Yeah, any problems with that? I think we should. Yeah, I will,” Trump said of al-Sharaa when asked about removing Syria from the list.

Trump offered high praise for al-Sharaa during their meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit, a remarkable turnaround for the man who once led an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria.

Al-Sharaa at one point had a $10 million bounty on his head and served time in the infamous Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

He then then led a coalition of Islamist rebel factions in late 2024 to topple former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

“He’s done a really fantastic job as president. He’s unified the country in a very short period of time,” Trump said Wednesday, describing the Syrian leader as a “strong person” who is “respected by everybody.”

“We’re proud of the job he’s doing,” Trump said.

What it means for Syria
Trump’s commitment to potentially remove Syria from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list would mark one of the final obstacles blocking the country from fully rejoining the international financial system.

The U.S. designated Syria a state sponsor of terrorism in 1979 — the longest such designation for any country on the list. The other countries on the list are Cuba, Iran and North Korea. Syria was designated as such because of the former al-Assad regime’s historical support for designated terrorist groups.

But U.S. officials have said there are a number of steps needed ahead before the designation can be removed.

U.S. lawmakers are cautiously optimistic.

A bipartisan trio of lawmakers wrote to Trump earlier this month lobbying for Syria’s removal from the list. But they argued al-Sharaa’s government has more work to do to follow through on equal representation for women and minority constituents in Syria and ensuring security in the region.

The new US-Syria relationship

In May 2025, Trump announced he would lift sanctions on Syria to create a new relationship between the two countries.

Last November, the United Nations Security Council formally adopted a U.S.-led resolution that lifted sanctions on al-Sharaa so he could travel to the U.S. to meet with Trump in the Oval office, the first offical visit by a Syrian president.

Congress also approved repealing comprehensive sanctions under the Caesar Syrian Civilian Protection Act. Trump signed it into law in December.

The repeal provided a way for Syria to begin transacting with regional and U.S. businesses, but the state sponsor of terrorism designation blocks it from accessing significant U.S. foreign assistance.

Lifting this designation on Syria could facilitate a whole range of investments in the country, including in oil, banking, technology, and real estate — which could lead to an economic sea change for the country and more overall stability.

Manhattan streets begin to reopen as crews stabilize compromised high-rise building

July 8, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — New York City officials began reopening some streets and buildings in Midtown Manhattan Wednesday, after engineering crews stabilized a building that was at risk of a partial collapse due to buckling beams.

Engineers worked throughout Tuesday night and the following morning to shore up the compromised floors at 235 E. 42nd St., the former Pfizer corporate building that is currently being converted into residential apartments.

“Right now, we have been in a consistent and stable and safe situation. We have been able to bring in a plan and materials to stabilize the impact,” New York City Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said Wednesday.

The building was evacuated Tuesday morning after construction crews discovered buckling beams on the 21st floor of the 37-story building. The 21st through 26th floors began caving as a result, according to DOB.

A five-by-three-block frozen zone was established to prohibit pedestrians and vehicles around the site. Nine buildings were evacuated as crews carefully made their way into the compromised building and worked to secure it.

Emergency shoring was installed from the 18th through 23rd floors, including structural steel shoring columns on the 21st and 22nd floors, and light-duty shoring posts on four other floors, the DOB said on Wednesday.

No additional movement has been detected as of Tuesday morning, according to DOB officials.

As of Wednesday afternoon, three nearby buildings remained vacated, along with one restaurant located near the site, DOB said.

The frozen zone was also scaled back. Vehicles are prohibited from entering 42nd and 43rd streets between 2nd and 3rd avenues, the city said.

The DOB is currently conducting an investigation of the incident, which it said “will include a detailed review of all associated plans and construction documents, interviews with witnesses and responsible parties, a full inspection sweep of the entire construction site, and review of available video and photo evidence.”

MetroLoft, the developer of the conversion project, said Wednesday that it will fully rebuild the impacted areas of the building and that the building was never at risk of collapse.

“We have been working closely with the Department of Buildings to rectify the situation. Our team worked through the night stabilizing the affected columns, and the DOB has confirmed the structure is now stable,” MetroLoft said in a statement on Wednesday. “We have identified the issue and developed a clear plan to fix it. This is a localized situation affecting less than 30 apartments out of over 1,600. At no time was the building, or any portion of it, at risk of collapse.”

“We are in the process of addressing the issue and will fully rebuild this portion of the building in tandem with ongoing construction,” the statement continued. “We remain on schedule, and this work will not delay delivery of the building as it is such a small portion of the project. We are working around the clock so that operations can resume and life in the area can return to normal.”

DOB said that it ordered the building’s owner to retain a third-party engineer to conduct a forensic evaluation.

The construction project is one of the city’s largest commercial-to-residential conversions in city history, officials said.

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