In our news wrap Thursday, a former U.S. Olympian faces a felony charge for allegedly vandalizing the refurbished Reflecting Pool, nearly 200 million Americans remain under heat warnings ahead of what’s expected to be one of the hottest Independence Day holidays on record and a new report shows that hiring slowed significantly last month as businesses remain uneasy about the state of the economy.
Geoff Bennett:
We start today’s other headlines in Washington, D.C., where a former U.S. Olympian faces a felony charge for allegedly vandalizing the newly refurbished Reflecting Pool.
Former canoe racer David Hearn has denied wrongdoing, saying he reached into the water after noticing a partially detached piece of the pool’s sealant. At a press conference today, U.S. attorney Jeanine Pirro called Hearn’s actions deliberate.
Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia: They are an affront to the dignity of our shared history, and we will not allow our sacred monuments to be roped off, defaced, or diminished or in any way impacted by disgruntled individuals.
Geoff Bennett:
President Trump has blamed vandals for the pool’s problems following a quick and costly makeover. In a statement, Hearn’s lawyers called the charges outrageous.
As we head into the July 4 holiday weekend, nearly 200 million Americans remain under heat warnings ahead of what’s expected to be for many one of the hottest Independence Day holiday is on record. In Atlanta, where the heat and humidity made it feel around 106 degrees, cooling stations brought much-needed relief.
On the sweltering streets of Manhattan, fans were out in full force, fighting against temperatures that felt as high as 110 degrees. And in the nation’s capital…
Woman:
Yes, so I was in the house all day. This is terrible. This is too hot for me right now.
Geoff Bennett:
For many, fountains offered an oasis from the 111-degree heat index. And while the East endures the heat, the West battles red flag warnings and wildfires.
In Colorado, the Aspen Acres Fire has nearly doubled in size in just the span of a day, and, at last, check was completely uncontained. Several communities there have been ordered to evacuate.
A new report shows that hiring slowed significantly in the U.S. last month as businesses remain uneasy about the state of the economy. The Labor Department says employers added just 57,000 jobs in June, less than half of May’s total. The unemployment rate declined slightly to 4.2 percent.
That comes as 720,000 people left the labor force altogether, pushing the participation rate to a five-year low.
At the White House today, President Trump’s director of the National Economic Council brushed off the weaker-than-expected numbers.
Kevin Hassett, Director, National Economic Council:
I think that if you smooth through the ups and downs over the last three or four months, we’re on a really steep upward trajectory.
Geoff Bennett:
Some economists say the slowdown was a delayed response to the war in Iran, which drove up gasoline prices, fueling broader inflation.
The Vatican has excommunicated a group of ultra-traditional Catholics after they defied the pope and consecrated four new bishops. The Society of Saint Pius X held the ceremony yesterday in Switzerland despite an order from Pope Leo to desist.
Today’s sanctions include a ban on officiating marriages and hearing confessions, and the Vatican warned that all formal followers of the society — quote — “are to be considered schismatic and excommunicated.”
It’s Pope Leo’s biggest internal crisis since taking on the role last year. The group has opposed modern reforms going back decades, but insisted today that they remain part of the church. And, as one member put it, “The pope remains our pope.”
In the U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a formal apology today for the British government’s role in separating unmarried mothers from their children in the decades following World War II.
Keir Starmer, British Prime Minister:
The shame was never yours. The shame is ours. And I say that on behalf of the whole country.
Geoff Bennett:
Along with an apology, Starmer also said affected mothers and children would be provided with better access to adoption records and mental health support. Between the 1940s and 1970s, an estimated 185,000 babies of unmarried mothers were adopted in England and Wales.
Advocates say the mothers were often pressured into giving up their children. Starmer called the practice a stain on the country’s history.
Keir Starmer:
These harms were compounded by the actions and failures of the state. The state bears responsibility for the systems it funded and legitimized, which enabled these practices to occur.
Geoff Bennett:
Earlier in the day, Starmer met with and personally apologized to a group of advocates. Today’s actions follow similar apologies from governments in the Netherlands, Australia, and Ireland, among others.
Well, a day after scaling the Empire State Building and getting engaged, two daredevil climbers were charged with multiple felonies today, including burglary and reckless endangerment. The Russian couple told reporters as they left court that they — quote — “believe in love.” They were released without bail.
Angela Nikolau, Defendant:
The fear never goes away. You just get better at facing it.
Geoff Bennett:
The pair’s previous climbing exploits were the focus of the 2024 Netflix documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story” about their illegal climbs and their then-budding romance.
The NYPD is now reviewing surveillance from the Empire State Building. They believe the pair entered through a locked maintenance hatch on the observation deck of the 102nd floor.
On Wall Street today, stocks ended mixed ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped nearly 600 points to close at a new all-time high, but the Nasdaq lost ground, giving back around 200 points. The S&P 500 ended virtually unchanged.
How a host of legal challenges are complicating the upcoming midterm elections; journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan discuss their new book on Donald Trump’s unconstrained second term; and a hard-fought win in the World Cup knockout round raises hopes for the U.S. men’s team.
