Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.
Four months after the Iranian Supreme Leader was killed in U.S. Israeli strikes, his funeral ceremonies began in Tehran today.
“Empires a deal of assault she reports, the funeral comms amid a fragile ceasefire between”
the U.S. Israel and Iran. The Iranian state media showed huge crowds gathered at a prayer complex into Iran, waving red flag symbolizing revenge and chanting mournful songs, women wept openly in black-clad men beat their chests in unison, a tradition in shea funerals.
It was the first in a series of ceremonies and processions for the funeral of Ayatolladi
Hamanai, who was killed in U.S. Israeli strikes in February. World and religious leaders attended a funeral ceremony yesterday, the Pakistani Prime Minister, the President of Iraq, and a delegation from the Palestinian group Hamas were all in attendance. Hamanei will be buried in his birthplace of Meshat next Thursday. Hadil al-Shalci and PR news, Istanbul.
As the eastern U.S. melts in high temperatures and humidity, parts of Europe are also sweltering in another heat wave, barely a week after record-breaking temperatures in several countries.
“Portugal and Spain are now bracing for a rash of wildfires.”
Allison Roberts reports, forecasters say the hot dry weather will continue for days. The last heat wave caused thousands of excess deaths in France alone, and this one is expected to last longer. Temperatures are forecast to climb all the way to southern England. In Portugal, more than 1,500 fighters are battling a blaze that started Thursday, injuring
at least seven people. The government has activated the European Civil Protection mechanism, sourcing four extra water bombing planes, and a military emergency's team from Spain. It's declared a state of alert through Monday, raising readiness and banning public access to forests and the use of machinery in them, or most all of mainland Portugal is now
at maximum or very high fire risk. Friend Pianus, I'm Allison Roberts in Lisbon. The majority of Americans are planning to celebrate an dependent stay with a cookout or barbecue and spending on food is expected to set a record this year. If your Zelina Selju reports, the average is forecast to top $94 a person.
The National Retail Federation bases its forecast on a big survey of shoppers, and it finds that the vast majority of people plan to celebrate a dependent stay, 87%. That's roughly in line with recent years after a big dip during the Pianus lockdowns. But the average food spending has been rising for a while as the U.S. faces stubborn inflation. The price of beef is a big driver.
The survey also shows that how American celebrate does not change much year to year. With most people doing a cookout or picnic, then 44% go into a fireworks show or community celebration and then small equal shares of people choosing to see a parade deciding to go on vacation or not celebrating at all. Alina Selju and their news.
Listening to NPR news from Washington Russia says Ukrainian drones struck an oil terminal in
“St. Petersburg as key continues to bombard oil infrastructure in Russia creating a few”
crisis and political pressure on the Kremlin. Prince President Zelensky says the attack is part of what he calls long-range sanctions against Russia.
Russian President Putin dismissed the strikes as not critical.
250 years ago the Sanket Continental Congress voted to approve the declaration of independence. That's not its only legacy, another is the modern Congress, as MPR Sam Greenglass reports. The Continental Congress did not look much like today's institution, but it represented the glimmers of a fledgling representative government, as 13 disparate colonies slowly coalesced around independence.
Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle's Philadelphia district is home to independence hall. He organized a congressional delegation there to mark the anniversary. To return to the room where it all began and remind ourselves that we are the inheritors of this great tradition.
Yale says Congress is not always successful at safeguarding that inheritance as the legislative
branch sees more authority to the executive, but he says he and many of his colleagues do feel the burden of living up to the aspirations of the founding era, Sam Greenglass and Piano's Washington. NATO leaders gather in Turkey next week at a summit focusing on the alliance's future with President Trump expected to press allies to shoulder more of the defense burden.
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