Storm forces evacuation of National Mall before Trump's July 4 speech
Severe storms gathered over Washington D.C. on July 4, forcing an evacuation order at the National Mall just ahead of former President Trump's scheduled Independence Day address. Trump has promised a 'really long' speech despite the heat warning and weather disruption. The storm and evacuation cast uncertainty over the planned celebration and underscored the extreme weather challenges facing the event.
Russia launched a large-scale attack on Kyiv that killed at least 21 people, described by CNN as exceptionally deadly. The strike came as Ukrainian forces continued to batter Russia's oil sector with drone attacks. The attack on the Ukrainian capital represents one of the deadliest in recent months, shaking Kyiv while war continues on multiple fronts.