Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman.
President Trump commemorated the 250th anniversary of America's independence Saturday night,
“but not before the National Mall in Washington, DC was temporarily evacuated because of a”
major storm nearby. In his remarks, he said America remains the greatest country on earth. "For two and a half centuries, our American Republic is stood as the crowning achievement of human history. This country is the home of freedom. This is the land of liberty, and
this is a flag that's the banner of the most extraordinary, most exceptional, most incredible
nation ever to exist on the face of the earth, and we're doing better now than we've ever done before." Trump finished speaking a few moments ago. The celebration has been marred, however, by charges of politicization in the planning of the week-long series of events. A white nationalist group held a march in Washington, DC's Saturday dozens of members
wore uniforms and masks and carried confederate flags for the March near Capitol Hill Police reported no arrests.
“As high temperatures continue in the eastern U.S. parts of Europe are also sweltering in”
another heat wave, it comes less than a week after record-breaking temperatures were set in several countries, and Portugal and Spain are now bracing for a rash of wildfires elsewhere. 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 a thousand firefighters 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 emergencies 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. For NPR News, I'm Alison Roberts in Lisbon. The conservative Catholic group that was excommunicated Thursdays responded to the Vatican's action, and PR's Jason D'Rose reports that the dispute stems from the consecration of bishops without official church approval. The Society of St. Pius, the 10th, is a small, ultra-traditionalist group that rejects many
of the reforms of Vatican II. Now, in response to the excommunication of its priests and lay adherence, the group's leader, David Apolliarani, has sent an open letter to Pope Leo. It describes the actions of the Society as a "moral duty," the letter suggests that the group is not backing down, saying that what the Society "has done and will continue to do is nothing other than an extraordinary initiative for the salvation of souls. It
calls the excommunication unjust and invalid, and says the Society is willing to suffer the sanctions for the good of the church. Jason D'Rose and PR News." It's NPR News. 10th of thousands of protesters gathered outside of building in Germany Saturday as inside delegates for the country's far-right alternative for Germany party re-elected its leaders.
protesters had hoped to disrupt the meeting, and some of them fought with police. America marked the historic 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, with the nationwide birthday party, Saturday, Karen Zy with member-station W. U. K.
Y. and Lexington has more on the celebrations in Kentucky's second-largest city.
A patriotic concert, 5 in 10K, races, food, games, and a parade are underway in the heart of
“Kentucky. Lexington Mayor of Linda Gordon says the best part of the day, the key dome”
that plagued the state for days is gone. "It's just perfect." And a highlight of 4 July at the old courthouse steps is a reading of the Declaration of Independence by volunteers from the crowd, Morgan K. C. steps up to the mic. "Are you all these truths to be self-added?"
A few political science, including one reading, resist, like its 1776, stand out. But the crowd is largely focused on the nation's 250th birthday party. For NPR News, I'm Karen Zyr in Lexington. Joey Joss Chestnut won the annual hot dog getting contested New York's Kony Island Saturday, eating 66 hot dogs and buns in just 10 minutes, that's averaging 6.6 hot dogs a minute.
He won for the 18th time in 21 appearances, Mickey Sudo won the Women's Championship. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.
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