5 Big News Stories Overnight - Saturday, July 4, 2026

Pope calls for 'moderation' in US public discourse on 250th anniversary of independence

France 24 reports:

Pope Leo XIV called for "moderation" in US public discourse on Friday as the country celebrated its 250th birthday, in his first speech focused on US politics.

Without mentioning US President Donald Trump, the US pope urged Americans to find "common ground" and "unity" and spoke of how "successive waves of immigrants" had shaped the future of the country.

The video speech relayed to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia appeared to make several points aimed at Trump's divisive style.

Leo and Trump have repeatedly clashed in recent months over papal criticism of the harsh crackdown on immigration in the United States and of the war on Iran.

Philadelphia Cancels Parade

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

...Independence Semiquincentennial Parade is canceled due to high temperatures, according to organizers.

The parade was set to start on Friday at noon after a delay was already announced on Thursday.

While some Facebook users understood the expected over-100-degree weather could put people at risk, others felt strongly about the lack of celebration.

“What a disappointment for not only those of us who had hoped to watch, but also for the bands and other marchers who have come from all across the U.S.," one user commented. "I get it — no one wants the liability. But are we just going to cancel everything?”

Another added, “It’s the 250th in the Birthplace of Freedom, and we're just canceling parades because it's warm,” leaving people to argue and point out that it wasn’t simply a warm day in Philadelphia, but a dangerous heat advisory.

Friday’s high is expected to break records in Philadelphia, with the anticipated minimum high of 104 last met in 1966 — when the nation was a mere 190 years old.

Experts say this is different and riskier than warm days in past Julys.

Over the past 85 years, Julys in Philadelphia are running on average 4.4 degrees warmer than in 1940, based on an analysis of historical weather data. That translates to an increase of about 0.52 degrees per decade.

PHOTO: Leo Serrat, Unsplash

Day one of Khamenei funeral concluding, Israel bombs Lebanon

Al Jazeera reports:

The first day of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed with family members at the start of the US-Israel war on Iran, is concluding.

More than 20 million people are expected in Tehran for the funeral over the next several days.

Israeli army says it bombed around 10 sites in Lebanon it claims were being used by Hezbollah, despite the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel inked last month.

Netanyahu, US’s Trump will hold an in-person meeting in the US soon, the Israeli PM’s office announced.

Iran’s army commander says it will “avenge blood” against the “enemies” who killed Ayatollah Khamenei.

PHOTO: Khameniir CC: 2.0

Putin's Super Yacht Flees

The Telegraph reports:

A £100m superyacht believed to be owned by Vladimir Putin is fleeing Europe to avoid Ukrainian drone attacks.

The 82m Graceful is traversing the coast of Norway on course to reach the northern Russian port of Murmansk in the coming days, according to maritime intelligence data and satellite imagery analysed by The Telegraph.

It is sailing under the escort of two Russian naval vessels and under the watchful eye of Nato.

The yacht has been pictured sailing with anti-drone nets covering its deck.

It is being shadowed by a heavily armed Russian I-class destroyer, the Severomorsk, as well as a 7,500-ton Russian salvage and patrol ship, the Voevoda, in the latest demonstration of Putin’s growing paranoia.

Zohran Mamdani rebukes Trumpism with pro-immigrant speech for US’s 250th birthday

The Guardian reports: 

New York’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, exalted the city’s legacy of immigrants on Friday in a historically laden, ideological counterpoint to a US semiquincentennial address that was expected later in the day from Donald Trump – who has sought to deport immigrants en masse throughout his second presidency.

Speaking from behind a desk at New York’s city hall that belonged to the US’s first president, George Washington, and which itself is a century older than the Resolute desk in the White House, Mamdani was surrounded by naturalized citizens like himself as he listed the waves of immigrants who shaped the city.

“Hundreds of thousands of Irish immigrants arrived with stomachs aching from a famine manufactured by imperial cruelty,” Mamdani said. “Chinese sailors settled in what is today Chinatown. Millions more traveled under the Statue of Liberty and through Ellis Island. Jewish people escaping pogroms, Italians fleeing poverty. Syrians seeking economic opportunity.