Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor, Johnston.
Fourth of July celebrations are being scaled back in parts of the country, in mid-extreme
heat, and dangerous fire conditions.
“In Colorado, communities are canceling fireworks as several large wildfires continue”
to burn. Steena Seek from Colorado Public Radio reports people are being urged not to set off their own personal fireworks. The gold-mountain fires forced evacuations outside the picturesque mountain town of Yurei, evacuated local Belinda Willis, was horrified to see people lighting a bonfire on a recent
night, and urges everyone to celebrate the fourth safely. Don't think of yourself, think of others. We cannot go into this like, oh, is my fourth of July, and it should be wonderful, because it's not wonderful right now, where in the middle of a crisis, to the east a huge blaze
near Pueblo is destroyed homes and remains a top firefighting priority in the country.
Over the weekend, three firefighters died in a fire near the Utah border. From Piano's, I'm Steena Seek, in Grand Junction, Colorado. The FBI is directing more than 250 of its employees to join its investigation of the 2020 election in Georgia's most populous county, Melissa Fato from Member Station W. A. B. E. reports in memo obtained by the Associated Press caused the case a top priority for the
agency.
“Fulton County has been a key part of President Donald Trump's unfounded claims that 2020”
presidential election was stolen from him. The memo does not describe details of the investigation. People familiar with the matter who insisted on anonymity to discuss internal decision-making confirmed with the AP, it's related to the probe into the 2020 election in Georgia. The FBI field office in Atlanta declined a request for comment.
The Bureau raided a Fulton County elections office in January where hundreds of boxes of elections records and ballots were seized. The county is sued to get its records back, but in May a judge decided the federal government could keep them. For NPR News, I'm Melissa Fato in Atlanta.
The CDC says the West Niall virus season has started early this year, and PR's Rob Stein has more. The CDC says that at least 48 cases of West Niall have already been reported.
“That's the highest number of West Niall cases to emerge by this time of year since 2004.”
The virus was seen in 23 states, which is the highest number in the last decade. Most of the reported cases have involved severe neurological complications. So the CDC is urging people to protect themselves from mosquitoes by using insect repellent putting screens on windows, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and staying inside between dust and dawn.
Rob Stein and PR News. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Pope Leo is traveling to a tiny island off the coast of northern Africa to shine a spotlight on the plight of migrants, and PR's Jason D'Rose reports many see the trip as a review of the Trump administration's immigration policies.
Pope Leo is visiting the Italian island of Lumpadusa in the southern Mediterranean.
It's often the first stop in Europe from migrants fleeing Africa.
The visit comes just after Leo received the Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, which he accepted virtually. Vice President JD Vance had invited the Pope to the United States this July 4th for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. declaring independence, but the Vatican declined, saying the Pope would not be visiting the U.S. in 2026.
The first U.S. born leader of the Catholic Church has been at odds with the White House over the administration's crackdown on illegal immigration among other things. Jason D'Rose and PR News. The prime minister of Australia is blasting lawmakers for delaying changes to the country's social media ban for children.
The government wants to give regulators more power to enforce the law, which bans children under the age of 16 from opening accounts on major social media platforms. Lawmakers who oppose the bill have sent the proposal to an eight week Senate inquiry. The prime minister says the delay gives tech companies more time to hide evidence. Australia's closed today in a observance of independent day trading resumes on Monday,
stocks across Asia today closed higher. I'm Winston Johnson and PR News in Washington. Every episode of its been a minute, NPR's What's Happening in Culture Podcast starts by asking three questions. Who?
How? Why now? If the culture is asking it, we're talking about it. At NPR, we stand for your right to be curious and indulge your cultural curiosity. Follow its been a minute wherever you get your podcasts.
And we'll break down the zeitgeistie topics that are filling your feed.
