WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump opened a 16-day celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary with a political rally on Wednesday, the start of festivities shaped by controversy over his polarizing approach to governing and efforts to remake Washington. Eager to pivot from a divisive war in Iran, Trump sought to use the event on the National Mall ahead of the Independence Day milestone on July 4 to tout a country he often takes credit for restoring to greatness. "As we stand on the edge of our 250th year of independence, I am thrilled to declare that America is back," Trump told thousands of people in the crowd from behind a wall of bullet-proof glass that extended across the stage. The Mall was festooned with patriotic decor including American flags and Freedom 250 signs, while signs promoting “The Great American State Fair” splashed across screens surrounding the stage. With the Washington Monument visible in the distance, military jets periodically soared overhead, including a B-2 stealth bomber flanked by four F-35 fighter jets. The Republican president invoked history and honored the anniversary before launching into a familiar refrain of his accomplishments, from claiming victory in the war with Iran and economic prosperity. He was unusually disciplined, rarely straying from the script on his teleprompter and keeping the speech to less than 30 minutes. "We are beginning the most unforgettable birthday party any country has ever seen," Trump said. "Oh, you're gonna have a good time." The event underscored how Trump has blurred the line between official commemoration and campaign-style politics, repackaging a public fair in the heart of the nation's capital around the rally format that has defined his presidency. The anniversary events have been marked by months of friction, including unconventional programming, the withdrawal of several musical acts and Trump's renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool near the site of the celebrations. Trump, who has taken a personal interest in the celebrations, is facing a difficult political moment. The nearly four-month-old Iran war has pushed consumer prices to a three-year high and unnerved many voters. Just one in four Americans believes the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran was worth its costs, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found, and only 34% approve of Trump’s overall performance in office 17 months into his second term. CALL FOR UNITY People attending the rally expressed support for Trump but also wished he would seek more national unity and tone down some of his flourishes. Louisiana couple Duane Hartman, 57, and his wife, Angela, 56, were visiting Washington for the first time when they saw signs for the Trump rally and decided to attend. “I hope he says something to unify the country,” said Hartman, an assistant principal at a public high school. Steve Dallenbach, 73, a retired home builder originally from Iowa who now lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, drove to Washington to see the monuments and fountains. A three-time Trump voter, he said the president was doing a good job beautifying the capital city and that he backs the president’s policies, though Trump can get “a little carried away with attitude.” On Iran, he said he trusted Trump’s judgment on when to end the war but did not want American troops sent in. He said Trump’s priority should be helping Republicans keep control of Congress in November because it would be “a long couple years” if the party lost the House of Representatives. A RECAST CELEBRATION The festival initially was set to feature a broad lineup of performers, including Poison frontman Bret Michaels, Young MC and the Commodores, but those acts and others withdrew amid concerns about joining a potentially partisan event. The revised program included musical performances by Lee Greenwood and Christopher Macchio, two artists favored by Trump, and military bands. Previous U.S. presidents also faced challenges that clouded anniversary celebrations, including a financial panic during John Quincy Adams’ presidency in 1826 and anger in 1976 over inflation, unemployment, the fall of Saigon and a decision to pardon former President Richard Nixon. Many of those presidents nonetheless used the occasion to emphasize unifying themes. Gerald Ford’s top political adviser ordered speechwriters to avoid any “partisan insinuations” as they prepared for the 200th anniversary. Ulysses Grant, marking the 100th anniversary in 1876, criticized “errors of judgment” by Southern rebels during the Civil War but also held out an olive branch by calling them courageous in their convictions.

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Senator Rick Scott Discusses the SAVE Act, Socialism's Rise and America 250

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A top official at the National Park Service says a liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor this month, causing damage to the foam sealant installed as part of a $16 million rehabilitation project. The park service reported the June 9 incident to U.S. Park Police. Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the park service, said about 70 fence post tops also were thrown into the pool. Lands made the statements in a court document filed late Wednesday as part of a lawsuit filed by a nonprofit organization to halt the administration’s work on the project.

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NEW YORK (AP) — New York prosecutors say they’ll drop a rape charge against Harvey Weinstein instead of trying the former movie mogul for a fourth time in the state. The decision was announced Thursday after his accuser said she could not endure testifying again. Weinstein already stands convicted of another sexual felony in New York and others in California, including raping an Italian actress in Los Angeles. But this rape charge had remained unresolved, after an overturned conviction followed by two hung juries. The Oscar-winning producer denies all the accusations.

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The Supreme Court has voted 6-3 to allow the Trump administration to end legal protections for migrants fleeing violence and natural disaster in Haiti and Syria, exposing hundreds of thousands more people to potential deportation. The Department of Homeland Security can now end temporary protected status, a program that protects a total of 1.3 million people from 17 countries. The Supreme Court also voted 6-3 on Thursday to clear the way for the Trump administration to potentially revive an immigration policy once used to turn back migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans who were berated by President Donald Trump over opposition to his war in Iran have reversed course, holding a late-night vote to try to appease him. They rejected a war powers resolution Wednesday night, a day after a similar measure passed. Trump harangued GOP senators face to face earlier in the day for allowing a vote to block his war in Iran on Tuesday. Trump exchanged particularly harsh words with Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, one of four Republicans who had voted with Democrats on the measure. Cassidy later changed his position after he received a White House briefing on the war.

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced the closure of the temporary immigration center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." The center was built in the Florida swamps last year. DeSantis said Thursday that about 21,000 people were deported through the center. Federal officials say they no longer need the extra capacity to handle detention and deportation because they have more permanent facilities. Immigration advocates criticized the center for unsafe and inhumane conditions. Detainees reported issues like poor access to lawyers, unsanitary conditions and insect infestations.

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This agenda advances by importing large numbers of people from the third world—many foreign-born, non-English speaking, and unassimilated—who become reliable voters for the same policies, delivering what critics call a deliberate third-world takeover.

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A powerful patriotic message celebrated America’s unmatched achievement and laid out a clear path forward: one people, one nation, united in prosperity, secure borders, affordability, and a future that rewards success rather than punishing it.

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(AP) -The parents of a girl who was raped when she was 12 years old by an adult stranger she met on Snapchat have sued its parent company, Snap, and the attacker in Missouri state court. The lawsuit filed Wednesday claims the social media company has refused to disable dangerous features in its app or warn parents about potential harms it may cause. According to the lawsuit, the girl began using Snapchat in 2021, when she was 11, without her parents' knowledge. While the app requires users to be 13 to sign up, the lawsuit says the girl does not remember what birth date she entered and that children knew they could easily bypass the minimum-age requirement. About a year after she began using Snapchat, the lawsuit says the app recommended her and teen girls from nearby high schools as friends to defendant Gabriel Joel Valentin-Rios, an adult who had no real-life connections to them. It did not warn the children that connecting to strangers might be dangerous. After the girl and Valentin-Rios connected, Valentin-Rios began sending her unsolicited nude photographs, the lawsuit says. The girl "did not want these photographs and, at first, did not reciprocate but Snapchat’s product design made it impossible for (her) to avoid such explicit content,” it says. As part of its Snap Maps feature, the app also provided Valentin-Rios with the girl's home address without her knowledge, according to the lawsuit. Valentin-Rios then groomed the girl, convincing her that he was a 17-year-old local high school boy, not a 25-year-old man. Eventually he got her to meet him in person and raped her. Valentin-Rios pleaded guilty to statutory rape and is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence in Missouri. The lawsuit claims Snapchat knew that Valentin-Rios had multiple accounts — even though it is against the app's policies — including one he used to lure teen girls. “We care deeply about the safety and well-being of all Snapchatters, and our teams have worked for years to build safeguards, launch safety tutorials, partner with experts, and work with law enforcement to help prevent the misuse of our platform,” Snap said in a statement. The girl has been diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and depression, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages and are asking the court to compel Snap to stop practices that harm children. “This assault did not happen in a vacuum — it happened because Snapchat’s product design made it easy for a predator to reach and manipulate an unsuspecting child,” said Matthew Bergman, founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center, which brought the suit on behalf of the plaintiffs. “Snap executives have long known that their features create a perfect environment for predators to exploit children, yet they have repeatedly failed to make the platform safe.” This is not the first such lawsuit against Snap. New Mexico sued the company in 2024, saying the platform's design features foster sextortion, sexual abuse and unwanted contact from adults to minors. According to the lawsuit, Snap was well aware, but failed to warn parents, young users and the public that “sextortion was a rampant, ‘massive,’ and ‘incredibly concerning issue’ on Snapchat.” A judge denied the company's motion to dismiss last year. There are also individual lawsuits pending against the company, including one in Vermont on behalf of two 12-year-old girls who were sexually assaulted by an adult they met on Snapchat.

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The death toll from Venezuela's devastating earthquakes has climbed to at least 164, with authorities warning the number is expected to rise as rescue crews continue searching through collapsed buildings. Officials say nearly 1,000 people have been injured following the powerful 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes, which struck just hours apart and caused widespread destruction across northern Venezuela. The coastal state of La Guaira is among the hardest-hit areas, where emergency crews are using heavy equipment, search dogs, and specialized rescue teams to locate survivors trapped beneath the rubble. Thousands of residents have been displaced, and hospitals are treating a steady stream of injured victims. Authorities say the earthquakes damaged homes, roads, bridges, and public buildings, complicating rescue efforts and slowing the delivery of emergency aid to affected communities. Seismologists say the twin earthquakes are among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century, prompting widespread power outages and infrastructure damage across several regions. The Venezuelan government has declared a national emergency and is coordinating relief efforts with international aid organizations as search-and-rescue operations continue. Officials say their priority remains locating survivors and providing shelter, food, and medical care to those impacted by the disaster.

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An oil tanker has successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz using a new shipping route near Oman, marking another sign that commercial traffic is beginning to recover despite ongoing tensions in the region. The transit comes as threats from Iran's Revolutionary Guard continue, even as the United States and Iran work under an interim peace agreement aimed at ending months of conflict. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy corridors, carrying a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Commercial traffic through the waterway had slowed dramatically during the conflict, raising concerns about global energy supplies and fuel prices. Under the interim agreement, Washington and Tehran have 60 days to negotiate a permanent settlement. Key issues still unresolved include Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief, and security guarantees in the region. At the same time, renewed fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon has complicated diplomatic efforts, with the violence emerging as a major sticking point in broader regional negotiations. Shipping companies continue to monitor security conditions closely, but the successful transit is being viewed as an encouraging sign that maritime commerce through the strategic waterway may gradually return to normal if the ceasefire holds.

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Vermont has become the first state in the country to ban paraquat, a widely used herbicide, over concerns about possible links to Parkinson’s disease. Supporters of the ban say the move is a major step for public health and could encourage other states to consider similar restrictions on the chemical. Paraquat is commonly used by farmers to control weeds, but it has faced growing scrutiny from health advocates and researchers who have raised concerns about long-term exposure risks. Some farmers oppose the ban, warning it could increase production costs and make crop management more difficult. The Environmental Protection Agency says it is still reviewing paraquat’s safety at the federal level. Vermont’s ban is set to take effect in November, though some farmers will have until 2030 to fully phase out use of the herbicide.

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Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold has been arrested in connection with an alleged kidnapping and armed robbery in Florida, where prosecutors say he played a leading role in a violent retaliation plot. Authorities in Tampa say the 23-year-old is facing eight felony charges, including four counts of armed robbery and four counts of kidnapping. Investigators allege Arnold orchestrated the February attack after believing three men had stolen more than $250,000 in cash and valuables from an Airbnb he was renting. Police later determined the victims were not responsible for the theft. According to investigators, Arnold allegedly coordinated the assault with several accomplices, who held the victims at gunpoint, beat them, and stole their belongings. Six other suspects have already been arrested in the case, with two pleading guilty and four awaiting trial. Arnold turned himself in to authorities Wednesday and is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday. If convicted on the kidnapping charges, he could face life in prison under Florida law. Through his representative, Arnold has denied all allegations, calling the case unsupported and arguing prosecutors are relying on testimony from convicted felons who have incentives to shift blame. The Detroit Lions acknowledged the arrest but declined further comment, citing the ongoing legal process.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump launched celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary with a rally on Washington’s National Mall, opening the 16-day Great American State Fair. The event marks the start of 16 days of festivities honoring the nation’s 1776 founding, with themed days celebrating the military, health initiatives, patriotism and Independence Day as the country begins commemorating its semiquincentennial.

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Larry Elder discusses the impact of socialism on American education and society, highlighting how it undermines the principles that have made the nation prosperous and powerful. He emphasizes the troubling trend of educators who do not understand the country's history, values, and foundational documents, leading to a generation ill-prepared to lead. Elder criticizes the notion of wealth redistribution, pointing out the unfairness of penalizing those who have worked hard and saved to achieve success. He argues that such policies disrespect the efforts of hardworking individuals and threaten the very foundations of American prosperity and freedom.

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Socialists Are Taking Over the Democrat Party

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WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte sought to calm tensions with President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, using a mix of flattery and gentle pushback to argue that examples of allies' reluctance to support the U.S. war with Iran were "isolated cases." The NATO chief is visiting Washington to try to ease strains over the Iran war and U.S. threats to draw down troops in Europe ahead of a pivotal NATO leaders' summit in July in Ankara. Trump, a longtime NATO critic who has called the alliance a "paper tiger," has been angered by its reluctance to support the U.S. in the Middle East conflict or help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28 disrupted the major oil shipping route. During the Oval Office meeting, Rutte used cardboard charts to show how much NATO countries have stepped up their defense spending since Trump first came into office in 2017. He also said thousands of U.S. military planes had operated from bases in Europe during the war, pointing to that cooperation as a sign of the allies' support. "I know there have been isolated cases about which you are really disappointed, but generally speaking your European allies have been there," Rutte said. Trump appeared largely unconvinced, though he praised Rutte's efforts. "You really have done a good job, and I think if anybody else were in that position, we wouldn't even be meeting today, to be honest with you, because we were let down. We didn't need help on this at all," Trump said. One of Rutte's primary roles since Trump's second election victory in November 2024 has been managing the president's hostility toward the alliance and preventing tense moments, including Trump's push to acquire Greenland, from spiraling into lasting crises. Tensions between Washington and NATO have escalated in recent months. After NATO allies refused to back Trump's Iran campaign, which he began without prior consultation, Trump openly questioned whether the U.S. should stand by NATO’s mutual defense pact and said he was considering leaving the alliance.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has berated Senate Republicans during his visit to the Capitol for allowing a vote to block his war in Iran, further escalating a feud that has diverted GOP efforts to focus on election-year affordability issues and brought much of the chamber’s business to a halt. Trump had signaled ahead of time that he would use the closed-door meeting to push senators to pass his proof-of-citizenship voting bill. But the conversation was more focused on Tuesday’s vote to approve the war powers resolution, a mostly symbolic measure that allows Congress to rebuke the administration’s military actions.

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TEL AVIV/DUBAI June 24 (Reuters) - The United States' top diplomat sought backing from sceptical Gulf allies on Wednesday for President Donald Trump's deal with Iran to end their war, while in another challenge to the accord, Israel insisted it would keep troops in southern Lebanon. The U.S. and Iran signed an initial accord last week to end a war that has upended the Middle East and pressured global economies with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a transit point for a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Under the deal, the strait is now slowly reopening and on Wednesday benchmark oil prices fell more than $3 to their lowest level since before the war started as supply concerns eased further. But conflicting accounts have emerged over elements of the deal, which has prompted criticism of Trump at home and in the Middle East. Financial incentives for Iran, control of the Strait of Hormuz and Israel's parallel war in Lebanon have all been disputed, highlighting the fragility of the accord. "We're winning by a lot. Iran is making very big concessions," Trump told reporters on Wednesday. Speaking in Kuwait City, the second stopover in a tour of three Gulf nations, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. was "completely aligned with our partners in the Gulf". "We're not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies, our longstanding allies in the region," he told reporters before heading to Bahrain. Rubio also reiterated the Trump administration's opposition to Iran's demand to charge tolls on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, something also opposed by Washington's Gulf allies. REGIONAL SCEPTICISM The proposed peace deal has been met with scepticism in the Middle East, where many states came under attack from Iran during the war and view the accord as too generous to Tehran, including a $300 billion fund and the waiver of some sanctions. Washington's Gulf allies fear the reconstruction fund could help Iran to rebuild its military, while the accord also does not address Tehran's ballistic missile capacity. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz both stressed again on Wednesday that Israel would not pull troops out of southern Lebanon, where they say they have created a security zone to protect residents of northern Israel. "The IDF is prepared ... and we are not retreating. We announced that in any case we are not withdrawing, and as of this moment — and this is a political achievement — there is no American demand for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon," Katz said in an onstage interview at a conference in Tel Aviv. He made his comments as Lebanon and Israel discuss a U.S.-backed proposal at talks in Washington for Israeli forces to pull out of some of the territory it invaded in the war and hand it to Lebanese-army control. Israel has been battling Hezbollah in Lebanon since the militant group attacked Israel on March 2 in support of Iran, and Tehran has made a cessation of hostilities there a central tenet of its demands in any peace deal with the U.S. "For us, a ceasefire in Lebanon is as important as a ceasefire in Iran, and further, an end to the war in Lebanon is as important as an end to the war in Iran," Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Wednesday. An Israeli drone strike on a car in southern Lebanon killed at least two people on Wednesday, Lebanese security and medical sources told Reuters. The Israeli military told Reuters it was checking the reports. Earlier, it said its air force had struck two armed Hezbollah fighters near a zone controlled by Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. It was not immediately clear if the incidents were the same. IRAN SLAMS U.S. 'MILITARISM' Rubio held a working lunch on Wednesday with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan before moving on to Kuwait. He was also due to visit Bahrain. Kuwait and Bahrain host strategic U.S. military bases, and both were hit by an onslaught of Iranian missiles, resulting in civilian deaths and a heavy economic toll. Responding to Rubio's comments in Kuwait, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on X: "We can't have a peaceful region so long as American militarism and interventionism persist, and their occupying proxy (Israel) continues, with absolute impunity, to inflict endless wars across the region and perpetrate genocide..." The interim accord signed by the U.S. and Iran paved the way for 60 days of talks aimed at hammering out thornier details, including issues related to Iran's nuclear programme. A first round of talks between high-ranking U.S. and Iranian officials in Switzerland ended on Monday. Rubio said on Wednesday that technical negotiators would resume their talks at the end of the month, most likely also in Switzerland. Divergent reports have emerged on agreed provisions relating to Iran's nuclear programme. Trump said preventing Tehran from building a nuclear weapon was the central reason for starting the war on February 28. Iran has said it has no plans to do so. Iran pushed back again on Wednesday after Trump said it had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity" as part of the initial accord. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi reiterated on X that no meeting was held in Switzerland with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, despite Grossi's request, and said there were currently no plans to grant access to nuclear facilities that had been attacked or to nuclear materials. He said such issues would be considered only within the framework of a final agreement and after the U.S. took practical steps to lift all sanctions on Iran.

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WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump opened a 16-day celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary with a political rally on Wednesday, the start of festivities shaped by controversy over his polarizing approach to governing and efforts to remake Washington. Eager to pivot from a divisive war in Iran, Trump sought to use the event on the National Mall ahead of the Independence Day milestone on July 4 to tout a country he often takes credit for restoring to greatness. "As we stand on the edge of our 250th year of independence, I am thrilled to declare that America is back," Trump told thousands of people in the crowd from behind a wall of bullet-proof glass that extended across the stage. The Mall was festooned with patriotic decor including American flags and Freedom 250 signs, while signs promoting “The Great American State Fair” splashed across screens surrounding the stage. With the Washington Monument visible in the distance, military jets periodically soared overhead, including a B-2 stealth bomber flanked by four F-35 fighter jets. The Republican president invoked history and honored the anniversary before launching into a familiar refrain of his accomplishments, from claiming victory in the war with Iran and economic prosperity. He was unusually disciplined, rarely straying from the script on his teleprompter and keeping the speech to less than 30 minutes. "We are beginning the most unforgettable birthday party any country has ever seen," Trump said. "Oh, you're gonna have a good time." The event underscored how Trump has blurred the line between official commemoration and campaign-style politics, repackaging a public fair in the heart of the nation's capital around the rally format that has defined his presidency. The anniversary events have been marked by months of friction, including unconventional programming, the withdrawal of several musical acts and Trump's renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool near the site of the celebrations. Trump, who has taken a personal interest in the celebrations, is facing a difficult political moment. The nearly four-month-old Iran war has pushed consumer prices to a three-year high and unnerved many voters. Just one in four Americans believes the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran was worth its costs, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found, and only 34% approve of Trump’s overall performance in office 17 months into his second term. CALL FOR UNITY People attending the rally expressed support for Trump but also wished he would seek more national unity and tone down some of his flourishes. Louisiana couple Duane Hartman, 57, and his wife, Angela, 56, were visiting Washington for the first time when they saw signs for the Trump rally and decided to attend. “I hope he says something to unify the country,” said Hartman, an assistant principal at a public high school. Steve Dallenbach, 73, a retired home builder originally from Iowa who now lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, drove to Washington to see the monuments and fountains. A three-time Trump voter, he said the president was doing a good job beautifying the capital city and that he backs the president’s policies, though Trump can get “a little carried away with attitude.” On Iran, he said he trusted Trump’s judgment on when to end the war but did not want American troops sent in. He said Trump’s priority should be helping Republicans keep control of Congress in November because it would be “a long couple years” if the party lost the House of Representatives. A RECAST CELEBRATION The festival initially was set to feature a broad lineup of performers, including Poison frontman Bret Michaels, Young MC and the Commodores, but those acts and others withdrew amid concerns about joining a potentially partisan event. The revised program included musical performances by Lee Greenwood and Christopher Macchio, two artists favored by Trump, and military bands. Previous U.S. presidents also faced challenges that clouded anniversary celebrations, including a financial panic during John Quincy Adams’ presidency in 1826 and anger in 1976 over inflation, unemployment, the fall of Saigon and a decision to pardon former President Richard Nixon. Many of those presidents nonetheless used the occasion to emphasize unifying themes. Gerald Ford’s top political adviser ordered speechwriters to avoid any “partisan insinuations” as they prepared for the 200th anniversary. Ulysses Grant, marking the 100th anniversary in 1876, criticized “errors of judgment” by Southern rebels during the Civil War but also held out an olive branch by calling them courageous in their convictions.

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Senator Rick Scott Discusses the SAVE Act, Socialism's Rise and America 250

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A top official at the National Park Service says a liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor this month, causing damage to the foam sealant installed as part of a $16 million rehabilitation project. The park service reported the June 9 incident to U.S. Park Police. Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the park service, said about 70 fence post tops also were thrown into the pool. Lands made the statements in a court document filed late Wednesday as part of a lawsuit filed by a nonprofit organization to halt the administration’s work on the project.

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NEW YORK (AP) — New York prosecutors say they’ll drop a rape charge against Harvey Weinstein instead of trying the former movie mogul for a fourth time in the state. The decision was announced Thursday after his accuser said she could not endure testifying again. Weinstein already stands convicted of another sexual felony in New York and others in California, including raping an Italian actress in Los Angeles. But this rape charge had remained unresolved, after an overturned conviction followed by two hung juries. The Oscar-winning producer denies all the accusations.

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The Supreme Court has voted 6-3 to allow the Trump administration to end legal protections for migrants fleeing violence and natural disaster in Haiti and Syria, exposing hundreds of thousands more people to potential deportation. The Department of Homeland Security can now end temporary protected status, a program that protects a total of 1.3 million people from 17 countries. The Supreme Court also voted 6-3 on Thursday to clear the way for the Trump administration to potentially revive an immigration policy once used to turn back migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans who were berated by President Donald Trump over opposition to his war in Iran have reversed course, holding a late-night vote to try to appease him. They rejected a war powers resolution Wednesday night, a day after a similar measure passed. Trump harangued GOP senators face to face earlier in the day for allowing a vote to block his war in Iran on Tuesday. Trump exchanged particularly harsh words with Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, one of four Republicans who had voted with Democrats on the measure. Cassidy later changed his position after he received a White House briefing on the war.

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced the closure of the temporary immigration center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." The center was built in the Florida swamps last year. DeSantis said Thursday that about 21,000 people were deported through the center. Federal officials say they no longer need the extra capacity to handle detention and deportation because they have more permanent facilities. Immigration advocates criticized the center for unsafe and inhumane conditions. Detainees reported issues like poor access to lawyers, unsanitary conditions and insect infestations.

Read More...

This agenda advances by importing large numbers of people from the third world—many foreign-born, non-English speaking, and unassimilated—who become reliable voters for the same policies, delivering what critics call a deliberate third-world takeover.

Read More...

A powerful patriotic message celebrated America’s unmatched achievement and laid out a clear path forward: one people, one nation, united in prosperity, secure borders, affordability, and a future that rewards success rather than punishing it.

Read More...

(AP) -The parents of a girl who was raped when she was 12 years old by an adult stranger she met on Snapchat have sued its parent company, Snap, and the attacker in Missouri state court. The lawsuit filed Wednesday claims the social media company has refused to disable dangerous features in its app or warn parents about potential harms it may cause. According to the lawsuit, the girl began using Snapchat in 2021, when she was 11, without her parents' knowledge. While the app requires users to be 13 to sign up, the lawsuit says the girl does not remember what birth date she entered and that children knew they could easily bypass the minimum-age requirement. About a year after she began using Snapchat, the lawsuit says the app recommended her and teen girls from nearby high schools as friends to defendant Gabriel Joel Valentin-Rios, an adult who had no real-life connections to them. It did not warn the children that connecting to strangers might be dangerous. After the girl and Valentin-Rios connected, Valentin-Rios began sending her unsolicited nude photographs, the lawsuit says. The girl "did not want these photographs and, at first, did not reciprocate but Snapchat’s product design made it impossible for (her) to avoid such explicit content,” it says. As part of its Snap Maps feature, the app also provided Valentin-Rios with the girl's home address without her knowledge, according to the lawsuit. Valentin-Rios then groomed the girl, convincing her that he was a 17-year-old local high school boy, not a 25-year-old man. Eventually he got her to meet him in person and raped her. Valentin-Rios pleaded guilty to statutory rape and is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence in Missouri. The lawsuit claims Snapchat knew that Valentin-Rios had multiple accounts — even though it is against the app's policies — including one he used to lure teen girls. “We care deeply about the safety and well-being of all Snapchatters, and our teams have worked for years to build safeguards, launch safety tutorials, partner with experts, and work with law enforcement to help prevent the misuse of our platform,” Snap said in a statement. The girl has been diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and depression, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages and are asking the court to compel Snap to stop practices that harm children. “This assault did not happen in a vacuum — it happened because Snapchat’s product design made it easy for a predator to reach and manipulate an unsuspecting child,” said Matthew Bergman, founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center, which brought the suit on behalf of the plaintiffs. “Snap executives have long known that their features create a perfect environment for predators to exploit children, yet they have repeatedly failed to make the platform safe.” This is not the first such lawsuit against Snap. New Mexico sued the company in 2024, saying the platform's design features foster sextortion, sexual abuse and unwanted contact from adults to minors. According to the lawsuit, Snap was well aware, but failed to warn parents, young users and the public that “sextortion was a rampant, ‘massive,’ and ‘incredibly concerning issue’ on Snapchat.” A judge denied the company's motion to dismiss last year. There are also individual lawsuits pending against the company, including one in Vermont on behalf of two 12-year-old girls who were sexually assaulted by an adult they met on Snapchat.

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The death toll from Venezuela's devastating earthquakes has climbed to at least 164, with authorities warning the number is expected to rise as rescue crews continue searching through collapsed buildings. Officials say nearly 1,000 people have been injured following the powerful 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes, which struck just hours apart and caused widespread destruction across northern Venezuela. The coastal state of La Guaira is among the hardest-hit areas, where emergency crews are using heavy equipment, search dogs, and specialized rescue teams to locate survivors trapped beneath the rubble. Thousands of residents have been displaced, and hospitals are treating a steady stream of injured victims. Authorities say the earthquakes damaged homes, roads, bridges, and public buildings, complicating rescue efforts and slowing the delivery of emergency aid to affected communities. Seismologists say the twin earthquakes are among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century, prompting widespread power outages and infrastructure damage across several regions. The Venezuelan government has declared a national emergency and is coordinating relief efforts with international aid organizations as search-and-rescue operations continue. Officials say their priority remains locating survivors and providing shelter, food, and medical care to those impacted by the disaster.

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An oil tanker has successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz using a new shipping route near Oman, marking another sign that commercial traffic is beginning to recover despite ongoing tensions in the region. The transit comes as threats from Iran's Revolutionary Guard continue, even as the United States and Iran work under an interim peace agreement aimed at ending months of conflict. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy corridors, carrying a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Commercial traffic through the waterway had slowed dramatically during the conflict, raising concerns about global energy supplies and fuel prices. Under the interim agreement, Washington and Tehran have 60 days to negotiate a permanent settlement. Key issues still unresolved include Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief, and security guarantees in the region. At the same time, renewed fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon has complicated diplomatic efforts, with the violence emerging as a major sticking point in broader regional negotiations. Shipping companies continue to monitor security conditions closely, but the successful transit is being viewed as an encouraging sign that maritime commerce through the strategic waterway may gradually return to normal if the ceasefire holds.

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Vermont has become the first state in the country to ban paraquat, a widely used herbicide, over concerns about possible links to Parkinson’s disease. Supporters of the ban say the move is a major step for public health and could encourage other states to consider similar restrictions on the chemical. Paraquat is commonly used by farmers to control weeds, but it has faced growing scrutiny from health advocates and researchers who have raised concerns about long-term exposure risks. Some farmers oppose the ban, warning it could increase production costs and make crop management more difficult. The Environmental Protection Agency says it is still reviewing paraquat’s safety at the federal level. Vermont’s ban is set to take effect in November, though some farmers will have until 2030 to fully phase out use of the herbicide.

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Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold has been arrested in connection with an alleged kidnapping and armed robbery in Florida, where prosecutors say he played a leading role in a violent retaliation plot. Authorities in Tampa say the 23-year-old is facing eight felony charges, including four counts of armed robbery and four counts of kidnapping. Investigators allege Arnold orchestrated the February attack after believing three men had stolen more than $250,000 in cash and valuables from an Airbnb he was renting. Police later determined the victims were not responsible for the theft. According to investigators, Arnold allegedly coordinated the assault with several accomplices, who held the victims at gunpoint, beat them, and stole their belongings. Six other suspects have already been arrested in the case, with two pleading guilty and four awaiting trial. Arnold turned himself in to authorities Wednesday and is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday. If convicted on the kidnapping charges, he could face life in prison under Florida law. Through his representative, Arnold has denied all allegations, calling the case unsupported and arguing prosecutors are relying on testimony from convicted felons who have incentives to shift blame. The Detroit Lions acknowledged the arrest but declined further comment, citing the ongoing legal process.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump launched celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary with a rally on Washington’s National Mall, opening the 16-day Great American State Fair. The event marks the start of 16 days of festivities honoring the nation’s 1776 founding, with themed days celebrating the military, health initiatives, patriotism and Independence Day as the country begins commemorating its semiquincentennial.

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Larry Elder discusses the impact of socialism on American education and society, highlighting how it undermines the principles that have made the nation prosperous and powerful. He emphasizes the troubling trend of educators who do not understand the country's history, values, and foundational documents, leading to a generation ill-prepared to lead. Elder criticizes the notion of wealth redistribution, pointing out the unfairness of penalizing those who have worked hard and saved to achieve success. He argues that such policies disrespect the efforts of hardworking individuals and threaten the very foundations of American prosperity and freedom.

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Socialists Are Taking Over the Democrat Party

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WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte sought to calm tensions with President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, using a mix of flattery and gentle pushback to argue that examples of allies' reluctance to support the U.S. war with Iran were "isolated cases." The NATO chief is visiting Washington to try to ease strains over the Iran war and U.S. threats to draw down troops in Europe ahead of a pivotal NATO leaders' summit in July in Ankara. Trump, a longtime NATO critic who has called the alliance a "paper tiger," has been angered by its reluctance to support the U.S. in the Middle East conflict or help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28 disrupted the major oil shipping route. During the Oval Office meeting, Rutte used cardboard charts to show how much NATO countries have stepped up their defense spending since Trump first came into office in 2017. He also said thousands of U.S. military planes had operated from bases in Europe during the war, pointing to that cooperation as a sign of the allies' support. "I know there have been isolated cases about which you are really disappointed, but generally speaking your European allies have been there," Rutte said. Trump appeared largely unconvinced, though he praised Rutte's efforts. "You really have done a good job, and I think if anybody else were in that position, we wouldn't even be meeting today, to be honest with you, because we were let down. We didn't need help on this at all," Trump said. One of Rutte's primary roles since Trump's second election victory in November 2024 has been managing the president's hostility toward the alliance and preventing tense moments, including Trump's push to acquire Greenland, from spiraling into lasting crises. Tensions between Washington and NATO have escalated in recent months. After NATO allies refused to back Trump's Iran campaign, which he began without prior consultation, Trump openly questioned whether the U.S. should stand by NATO’s mutual defense pact and said he was considering leaving the alliance.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has berated Senate Republicans during his visit to the Capitol for allowing a vote to block his war in Iran, further escalating a feud that has diverted GOP efforts to focus on election-year affordability issues and brought much of the chamber’s business to a halt. Trump had signaled ahead of time that he would use the closed-door meeting to push senators to pass his proof-of-citizenship voting bill. But the conversation was more focused on Tuesday’s vote to approve the war powers resolution, a mostly symbolic measure that allows Congress to rebuke the administration’s military actions.

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TEL AVIV/DUBAI June 24 (Reuters) - The United States' top diplomat sought backing from sceptical Gulf allies on Wednesday for President Donald Trump's deal with Iran to end their war, while in another challenge to the accord, Israel insisted it would keep troops in southern Lebanon. The U.S. and Iran signed an initial accord last week to end a war that has upended the Middle East and pressured global economies with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a transit point for a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Under the deal, the strait is now slowly reopening and on Wednesday benchmark oil prices fell more than $3 to their lowest level since before the war started as supply concerns eased further. But conflicting accounts have emerged over elements of the deal, which has prompted criticism of Trump at home and in the Middle East. Financial incentives for Iran, control of the Strait of Hormuz and Israel's parallel war in Lebanon have all been disputed, highlighting the fragility of the accord. "We're winning by a lot. Iran is making very big concessions," Trump told reporters on Wednesday. Speaking in Kuwait City, the second stopover in a tour of three Gulf nations, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. was "completely aligned with our partners in the Gulf". "We're not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies, our longstanding allies in the region," he told reporters before heading to Bahrain. Rubio also reiterated the Trump administration's opposition to Iran's demand to charge tolls on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, something also opposed by Washington's Gulf allies. REGIONAL SCEPTICISM The proposed peace deal has been met with scepticism in the Middle East, where many states came under attack from Iran during the war and view the accord as too generous to Tehran, including a $300 billion fund and the waiver of some sanctions. Washington's Gulf allies fear the reconstruction fund could help Iran to rebuild its military, while the accord also does not address Tehran's ballistic missile capacity. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz both stressed again on Wednesday that Israel would not pull troops out of southern Lebanon, where they say they have created a security zone to protect residents of northern Israel. "The IDF is prepared ... and we are not retreating. We announced that in any case we are not withdrawing, and as of this moment — and this is a political achievement — there is no American demand for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon," Katz said in an onstage interview at a conference in Tel Aviv. He made his comments as Lebanon and Israel discuss a U.S.-backed proposal at talks in Washington for Israeli forces to pull out of some of the territory it invaded in the war and hand it to Lebanese-army control. Israel has been battling Hezbollah in Lebanon since the militant group attacked Israel on March 2 in support of Iran, and Tehran has made a cessation of hostilities there a central tenet of its demands in any peace deal with the U.S. "For us, a ceasefire in Lebanon is as important as a ceasefire in Iran, and further, an end to the war in Lebanon is as important as an end to the war in Iran," Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Wednesday. An Israeli drone strike on a car in southern Lebanon killed at least two people on Wednesday, Lebanese security and medical sources told Reuters. The Israeli military told Reuters it was checking the reports. Earlier, it said its air force had struck two armed Hezbollah fighters near a zone controlled by Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. It was not immediately clear if the incidents were the same. IRAN SLAMS U.S. 'MILITARISM' Rubio held a working lunch on Wednesday with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan before moving on to Kuwait. He was also due to visit Bahrain. Kuwait and Bahrain host strategic U.S. military bases, and both were hit by an onslaught of Iranian missiles, resulting in civilian deaths and a heavy economic toll. Responding to Rubio's comments in Kuwait, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on X: "We can't have a peaceful region so long as American militarism and interventionism persist, and their occupying proxy (Israel) continues, with absolute impunity, to inflict endless wars across the region and perpetrate genocide..." The interim accord signed by the U.S. and Iran paved the way for 60 days of talks aimed at hammering out thornier details, including issues related to Iran's nuclear programme. A first round of talks between high-ranking U.S. and Iranian officials in Switzerland ended on Monday. Rubio said on Wednesday that technical negotiators would resume their talks at the end of the month, most likely also in Switzerland. Divergent reports have emerged on agreed provisions relating to Iran's nuclear programme. Trump said preventing Tehran from building a nuclear weapon was the central reason for starting the war on February 28. Iran has said it has no plans to do so. Iran pushed back again on Wednesday after Trump said it had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity" as part of the initial accord. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi reiterated on X that no meeting was held in Switzerland with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, despite Grossi's request, and said there were currently no plans to grant access to nuclear facilities that had been attacked or to nuclear materials. He said such issues would be considered only within the framework of a final agreement and after the U.S. took practical steps to lift all sanctions on Iran.

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