TV News LIES

A new national poll reveals a striking paradox in public sentiment ahead of America's 250th anniversary: a disconnect between Americans' strong patriotic pride and their lack of civic knowledge.

According to a survey from the libertarian Cato Institute think tank of more than 2,000 U.S. adults conducted in late June, 86% of respondents said they are grateful to be American and 70% believe the nation's founding principles remain relevant.

However, nearly half of Americans (46%) don't know that America's 250th anniversary commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

This civic ignorance extends to basic governance: Nearly 60% do not know the main purpose of the U.S. Constitution is to limit government power, and do not know why the colonies declared independence from Great Britain.

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As if the 250th anniversary celebrations in the capital haven't been troubled enough, with lackluster attendance, a brutal heatwave, environmentally damaging fireworks, and restrictive security measures due to Donald Trump's planned speech, Thursday's incident was another cause for concern.

In a video shared online by progressive media influencer Aaron Parnas, two groups of young dancers on stage can be seen going through their routine to music when a large, rectangular piece of the structure falls from above, narrowly missing the group on stage right.

At least one of the dancers seemed to see the object in mid-air before it hit the stage, and ran out of the way.

There appeared to be around 18 dancers on stage at the time, with nine in each group. Two men were also on the side of the stage nearest the point of impact.

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A federal appeals court reversed a lower court’s order requiring the National Park Service (NPS) to restore signs and exhibits that were removed by the Trump administration.

The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday halted the ruling, which would have restored park materials that the administration says were purged as part of the administration’s effort to get rid of materials that “disparage” Americans.

The judges determined that the Trump administration “made a strong showing that the harms that the district court relied on” to order the restoration of the materials did not meet the standards for an injunction.

Judges David Barron, Gustavo Gelpí and Julie Rikelman also found that the groups suing the government “cannot show that a stay of the district court’s order … would cause them substantial injury.”

Barron was appointed by former President Obama, while Gelpí and Rikelman are appointees of former President Biden.

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Two people were arrested following an apparent marriage proposal atop the Empire State Building’s spire on Wednesday, after they climbed to the very pinnacle of the New York City landmark – well above the level open to the public.

The two people were identified as Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, two Russian “rooftoppers” who have conducted similar stunts in other cities including Tianjin, China, and Los Angeles. They were both wearing black clothing and appeared to be masked as they unfurled a large, black banner at the top of the skyscraper with the words: “When the power of love beats the love of power the ‌world knows peace.”

It remained unclear how the pair made their way up the final stages of the building, which towers above midtown Manhattan at a height of 1,454ft (443 metres). Local media outlets reported a New York police department (NYPD) drone in the air, in addition to an NYPD helicopter near the scene monitoring the breathtaking stunt.

Shortly after 12.30pm, the two climbed down to a slightly lower platform on the structure that holds the antenna atop the building. One person then got down on one knee, and after what appeared to be a proposal from a man to a woman, the two people hugged and kissed.

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Zohran Mamdani, the New York City mayor, partakes in the NYC Pride march on Sunday.

The grand marshal Gays Against Guns group join in the 57th annual NYC Pride march as it proceeds down Fifth Avenue from Midtown to Greenwich Village. Nonviolently challenging gun violence, the direct action group was founded in response to the loss of 49 lives at Pulse Nightclub on 12 June 2016.

Bowen Yang, the comedian, actor and Parade grand marshal, attends the NYC Pride march on Fifth Avenue on Sunday.

Enjoy the photos here...

Three firefighters were killed and two others injured Saturday while they tackled wildfires on the Colorado-Utah border, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service announced. The agency said the crew members had been part of an interagency response to the Knowles and Gore fires.

"The U.S. Wildland Fire Service stands united with the USDA Forest Service in grief and in our unwavering support for the loved ones left behind," the service said in a statement on Facebook. "Their bravery, dedication, and sacrifice will never be forgotten."

In a press release, the Department of the Interior said the five firefighters were involved in a "burnover incident," which happens when firefighters are overtaken and have to shelter as best they can while a fire passes directly over them. The department said the two firefighters who survived were being treated for burn injuries.

Fires in Utah, Colorado and Arizona have been intensifying, thanks to days of low humidity, high temperatures and strong winds. The conditions have pushed fire behavior to extremes not commonly seen in the region, stretching resources and forcing the governors of both Utah and Colorado to declare emergencies.

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