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THIS DAY IN HISTORY July 4 1776 Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims the independence of the United States of America from Great Britain and its king. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1817 Construction on the Erie Canal begins 1884 France gives the Statue of Liberty to the United States 1970s 1971 Koko the Gorilla is born at the San Francisco Zoo Arts & Entertainment 1855 First edition of Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” is published Civil War 1863 Confederates surrender at Vicksburg Crime 1940 Terrorist bomb explodes at the New York World’s Fair LGBTQ+ History 1965 LGBTQ activists hold the first Annual Reminder demonstration in Philadelphia Space Exploration 1997 Pathfinder lands on Mars U.S. Presidents 1826 Thomas Jefferson and John Adams die

Ukraine war briefing: Germany calls reports Russian soldiers are being trained in China ‘deeply disturbing’ German foreign ministry summons China’s ambassador and says anything that enables Russia to continue its war of aggression represents a ‘threat’ to Germany’s security. What we know on day 1,592 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/04/ukraine-war-briefing-germany-calls-reports-russian-soldiers-are-being-trained-in-china-deeply-disturbing?

Trump launches US’s 250th birthday celebrations with partisan attack In speech at Mount Rushmore, US president claims resurgent ‘communist menace’ poses threat to country https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/04/trump-launches-americas-250th-birthday-celebrations-with-partisan-attack?

All Australian $5 to $100 banknotes are made from a specialized polymer (a type of plastic) rather than paper or cotton fiber. James

Seventeen states and localities are increasing their minimum wage this July On July 1, the minimum wage will increase in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington, D.C.—lifting wages for more than 361,000 workers and collectively raising their earnings by more than $221 million (see Figure A). In addition to these two states and D.C., 14 cities and counties are also increasing their minimum wage this summer, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. https://www.epi.org/blog/seventeen-states-and-localities-are-increasing-their-minimum-wage-this-july/?

America's time capsule The America250 time capsule in Philadelphia. Photo: Al Drago/Getty Images When future generations open America's Time Capsule, they'll find an eclectic trove of artifacts and letters meant to create an authentic record of American life in 2026, Axios' Martin Vassolo and Kate Murphy report. ⏱️ The steel capsule will be ceremonially buried at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia tomorrow. What's inside: A whale bone from Maine, a George Washington prayer medal from Utah and a diamond from the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas, to name a few. 🤖 California, ever on brand, added Claude's prediction of what the Golden State will be like 250 years from now. It also included a coin featuring Steve Jobs. 🌴 Some states' additions to the capsule are not as imaginative: Florida's government-focused offerings include coins representing four state elected officials, including Gov. Ron DeSantis. Go deeper ...

📜 A rare discovery was made across the pond: A 1776 printing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence was found by a volunteer in the U.K.'s National Archives. The copy, formerly listed as just "another" document, was seized by the British Royal Navy in 1776. More on the discovery.

🕯️ In the aftermath of two devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, a restaurant, nicknamed "Hospital McDonald's," has become a makeshift hub for treating victims and a center for finding missing pets. More than 2,000 people are dead, per Venezuela's government. Go deeper ...

🚀 NASA rescue mission Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images NASA today launched the Swift Boost Mission, a $30 million gambit to save the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from an early fiery death, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick reports. ☄️ The Swift Observatory could burn up in Earth's atmosphere later this year as its orbit decays faster than expected. That's happening because solar activity has caused Earth's atmosphere to "puff out," increasing drag on spacecraft in low Earth orbit. 🛰️ To save Swift, NASA turned to an autonomous robot called Link with a singular purpose: Find Swift, grab on and give it a little pick-me-up. Like many satellites, Swift wasn't designed with a docking port or other specific means for another craft to attach itself — meaning Link's mission is by no means a sure bet. 🤞 If all goes well, Link will catch up with Swift and grab on in about a month. Go deeper.

Fiery Fourth Data: U.S. Drought Monitor. Map: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals The fireworks industry expects America's 250th to drive a massive boom in backyard pyrotechnics tomorrow. The surge is colliding with a heat wave that's driving up the risk of fires, Axios' Josephine Walker reports. 🔥 "It only takes one small spark landing in dry vegetation under the right conditions to start a fast-moving wildfire," Cal Fire's April Newman tells Axios. 🥵 Stunning stat: Roughly 50% of the U.S. is in a drought, according to Brian Fuchs, a climatologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center. Colorado Springs issued a citywide burn ban earlier this week — then canceled all fireworks displays, even professional ones, citing "extreme fire danger." Utah Gov. Spencer Cox suspended a state law that prevented blanket firework bans, leaving a patchwork of restrictions across the state. A firefighting plane drops fire retardant over the Aspen Acres fire in Colorado. Photo: Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images 🚨 Massive blazes have ripped through parts of Utah and Colorado, forcing evacuations, Axios' Herb Scribner and Rebecca Falconer report. Fire danger is elevated nationwide, with firefighters working to contain more than 40 large fires. The National Fireworks Association predicts the semiquincentennial will ignite a 20% to 25% surge in some areas. "People look like they're going to be showing their patriotism," NFA's Ed Vasel says. Go deeper ... More on the fire threat.

ADRA Assesses Needs Following Major Earthquake in Venezuela (ADRA) is on the ground in Venezuela assessing humanitarian needs after a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the country on June 24, 2026, at 6:05 pm local time. The earthquake, centered near Morón in Carabobo state, affected some of the country's most populated areas, including Carabobo and Yaracuy, with millions of people experiencing strong to severe shaking. https://adventist.news/news/adra-assesses-needs-following-major-earthquake-in-venezuela

America is turning 250 — and Bible prophecy has something to say about it. Shawn Boonstra and Jonathan Walter dig into the one question every Adventist is asking: Is the United States of Revelation 13 — the "lamb-like" beast — already speaking like a dragon? They trace where the American republic actually came from (it's not what you think), why Shawn believes it was genuinely lamb-like in conception, and what's happening right now that points unmistakably toward a Revelation 13 showdown. Plus: there's a clause buried in the U.S. Constitution that most Americans have never noticed — and Shawn thinks it's the most prophetically significant sentence in the document. Then: How do you reach almost 2 billion secular people who want nothing to do with religion? The answer might not be what you expect. Dwight Nelson — "Is the U.S. Blessed or Condemned?": https://adventistreview.org/church-li... (Available: July 4) Jonathan Contero on reaching secular people: https://adventistreview.org/lifestyle... (Available: July 5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mzPscRcVSo

ICE releases a Texas nun intercepted walking to church dressed in her habit McALLEN, Texas (AP) — A nun was released from immigration custody after she was arrested walking to Mass in her habit in South Texas. https://apnews.com/article/nun-ice-immigration-texas-mcallen-96582ec2ab9582b0b0b5a6ba3c38153b? ps:So pathetic!!!!!

SEX ABUSE SETTLEMENT San Francisco Archdiocese agrees to pay $395 million to settle child sex abuse lawsuits The San Francisco Catholic Archdiocese has agreed to pay $395 million to settle more than 500 lawsuits alleging child sex abuse by church personnel. And Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone will have to write an apology letter to each survivor as part of the settlement. The settlement also requires the archdiocese to implement a series of child protection and transparency reforms, including creating a list of clergy accused of abuse. Read more. Why this matters: The settlement comes three years after the archdiocese filed for bankruptcy and will cover approximately 530 survivors of child sexual abuse, according to an attorney for the survivors. It is the latest agreement over clergy sexual abuse claims. In 2024, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to a record $880 million settlement. Several archdioceses in California filed for bankruptcy after facing hundreds of lawsuits brought under a California law approved in 2019 that allowed decades-old claims to be filed by Dec. 31, 2022. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ San Francisco Archdiocese declares bankruptcy amid hundreds of lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse Pope meets with 6 clergy abuse survivors in Spain, hopes to improve response Archdiocese of Los Angeles agrees to pay $880 million to victims of clergy sexual abuse

ROBOTIC ELEPHANTS In some of India's Hindu temples, robotic elephants draw crowds and controversy In Kerala, a state in southern India, robotic elephants are replacing live ones in temple festivals. Rising concerns about elephant abuse and dangerous incidents have led to this change. Large male elephants have occupied an important place in sacred rituals and ceremonies in Kerala for centuries. Read more. Why this matters: Activists and conservationists are now pushing for mechanical elephants, while traditionalists and elephant owners say live elephants cannot be replaced because they represent the divine. The animal rights group PETA and other nonprofits have donated about 40 robotic elephants, costing about $6,000 each, to temples around the country to replace live elephants. A robotic elephant is much lighter and lacks the fluid grace of the majestic pachyderm. But electric motors can move the animatron's head and eyeballs; pliable rubber body parts can get it just a little closer to the real one. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Robotic elephants are replacing live ones at Kerala temple festivals, in photos Should animals have human rights? Hawai‘i court to decide Animal welfare groups say 3 South African zoo elephants are depressed and sue to move them Video: Colorful procession of decorated elephants delights festival-goers in southern India

A sweaty Fourth of July ahead for the US as extreme heat descends on 20 states WASHINGTON — As outdoor celebrations and events marking the nation’s 250th anniversary and the World Cup reach their peak, local officials across the country are urging caution amid a heat wave blanketing many East Coast and Midwestern states. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/07/02/repub/a-sweaty-fourth-of-july-ahead-for-the-us-as-extreme-heat-descends-on-20-states/? ps:Well it got to 100 today and it's been thundering and pouring rain on and off since around 3 pm, so not sure if any of the fireworks in our area will be going off today!!

Civil rights group sues Florida officials for designating CAIR a terrorist organization Hours after Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that the state would soon designate the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) a domestic terrorist organization, the Muslim civil rights advocacy group filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging that designation as unconstitutional and are calling for an injunction to halt its enforcement. https://floridaphoenix.com/briefs/civil-rights-group-sues-florida-officials-for-designating-cair-a-terrorist-organization/?

Standing Stone in Israel Gives New Evidence of Hezekiah’s Reforms Archaeologists have unearthed a large massebah in the remains of a house from the site of Tel ‘Eton in Israel. They believe it gives important new evidence for King Hezekiah of Judah’s war on idols spoken of in the Bible. https://www.patternsofevidence.com/2026/07/01/standing-stone-in-israel-gives-new-evidence-of-hezekiahs-reforms/? Imagining Joseph in Egypt A press release from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced multiple discoveries from Tell el-Ku‘a, an archaeological site in northeastern Egypt in the Wadi Tumilat. The excavators uncovered a residential complex, storage and production facilities, pottery that contains seal impressions, ten mudbrick graves, and humans buried in unusual squatting positions. All finds dated to the Second Intermediate Period (c. 1650–1550 BCE), otherwise known as the Hyksos period in Egypt. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-egypt/imagining-joseph-in-egypt/?

The point you are making is that you don't understand Scripture and your use of EGW confuses the issue rather than clarifies it. Post the stuff she wrote on the other side of the issue, such as the Baker letter. The Bible is much clearer than Sr. White said this and said that. Are you a protégé of W.D. Frazee who said "Don't worry about what the Bible says, just read Sr.White"?

Joe, I agree with you about the media. Lot of really evil people involved in it, including the SDA media. Private SDA webzines are at the forefront of pushing the gay agenda on the denomination. They are backed by boards. Those boards are often include wealthy, influential people in the denomination. Some years ago, an SDA university president was caught in a police sting targeting men soliciting sex in public restrooms. I was approached by homosexuals on two different SDA college campuses back in the 70s. One was obvious, the other not so much. I ran him off before his scheme was revealed but I know the type. It's just more in the open now. SDA media would have us believe that changing the marital state from hetero to homo is OK, while they oppose Sunday observance. If the Sabbath shouldn't be changed, why should the marital state? Kinship is now promoting an upcoming Kamp meeting. They posit that homosexual denominational employees could lose their jobs if confidentially is not respected, suggesting that ~tithe dollars are paying closeted homosexuals working for the denomination. I attended church, ate potluck with an SDA M.D. convicted of sexual crimes against a young person. His wife divorced him, he lost his physician's license, and had a hard time finding employment as a registered sex offender. He was actually quite a nice guy. He spent time in jail. I was unaware of any restrictions under which he attended church. Perhaps he was clandestinely monitored. You are right about the need for careful investigation of charges like this. I was acquainted with one of the RC priests in Los Angeles who was convicted of pedophilia related crimes. Would have never guessed his tastes ran along those lines. When the news reported his case, they said that there was just one victim. Just one? Not really. The statute of limitations had run out on others. According to Ron Lawson's research, some of the most preeminent families in Adventism have homosexual members, not necessarily pedophiles but homosexual. In some Asian countries, a mere accusation can upend your life. Even somewhat official accusations can be based on gossip rather than facts. Careful. You don't need a drunken guy with a machete hunting you down, based on a lie.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next elections. We are in a 4th turning. The last 4th turning was the great depression. I don't think the majority of people are ready for the sweeping changes coming. I am not sure, I am. Extraordinary changes are coming.

This looks like a witch hunt to me. The man is dead. He cannot defend himself. I don't see he was never convicted of a crime. Nothing but allegations. The media is some of the most ungodly people trying to smear God's people.

Are we sure about this? It does not seem right that someone charged with a crime should be restricted at church. Convictions, okay. But I thought we were innocent until proven guilty.

Don't apologize. We want to hear/read your veiws.