Plus: All eyes on Madison Square Garden ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. France has recorded an increase of more than 2,000 deaths during the heatwave of the last week of June. In the US, the country's 250th birthday revives a debate over presidential power. Have a go at our news quiz and, finally, see how wedding fever is gripping New York. | |
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TOP OF THE AGENDA | Europe braces for more extreme weather |
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|  | Météo-France has issued red alerts for Friday and Saturday for forest fires in the southern part of the country. Credit: Getty Images | Figures from France's Public Health Agency show that deaths rose 29% in the last week of June compared to the one before. The country recorded its hottest day ever on 24 June, with temperatures hitting almost 41C (105.8F) in Paris and half the nation placed under a red heat alert. Parts of Europe, including the UK, are bracing for more searing temperatures from this weekend. Rising temperatures align with scientists' forecast of a warming world resulting from burning fossil fuels, which emit heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. According to the Copernicus climate change service, Europe is heating up twice as fast as the global average. |
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| Iran nuclear and military damage revealed | BBC Verify has analysed satellite images that provide an insight into the targets of US-Israeli strikes and the resulting damage. | Explore the findings > |
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| Stand-up comedian arrested in Turkey | Deniz Göktaş has been accused of "inciting hatred and hostility" in his stage routine, as well as insulting the country's president. | More details > |
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| Sick note changes spark debate in Germany | Changes to sick-leave rules now require Germans to provide a doctor's note to their employers on the first day of their illness. | What to know > |
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| Nasa launches space mission to save telescope | The observatory, which is the size of a large car, was launched in 2004 to study the Universe's most powerful explosions. | Read more > |
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NEWS FROM THE UK | | - Lyra McKee: Three men accused of murdering the 29-year-old journalist in Northern Ireland more than seven years ago have been found not guilty.
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| | | Maryland and South Dakota, US |
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| A debate as old as the US itself |  | Exactly how much power a single politician should have has long been a heated debate in the US. Credit: Reuters | It's been 250 years since the US rejected British monarchical rule, but the concentration of power in the hands of one leader is still a cause for concern for millions of Americans who have marched under banners such as "No Kings" since Donald Trump returned to the White House. |
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| | Sarah Smith, North America editor |
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| | The Middleton Tavern, a seaside pub in Annapolis, Maryland, is older than the country itself. That's where I met Lorraine Ross, who was celebrating her own milestone - her 60th birthday. She said she wanted to enjoy America's birthday, too, but was concerned about the country's future. She expressed anger at Congress for "just letting him [Trump] run amok and ignore all the laws" that have constrained presidents' behaviours in the past.
Halfway across the country, at a scenic lookout in Keystone, South Dakota, military planes are flying overhead and Secret Service officers are preparing for the president's visit here on Friday. He'll be spending the eve of the 250th anniversary celebrations visiting Mount Rushmore. Donald Trump has leaned into memes that put him on the mountain face. Many of his supporters welcome the idea. |
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| | | - Watch: We spoke to people across the US about
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