Independence Day Heat Safety: A heat dome is baking the Midwest and East, with Bloomington-area highs near the low 90s and heat indexes around 100–105, plus a higher chance of thunderstorms Saturday and Sunday that could bring damaging winds and flash flooding. 250th Anniversary Events Disrupted: Philadelphia’s semiquincentennial parade was canceled due to extreme temperatures, while other festivities continue; organizers are also weighing whether to allow the public at Capitol Fourth rehearsal and whether the concert itself can go on. U.S. Voting Fight in Court: A federal judge blocked key parts of Trump’s election executive order, including a nationwide verified-citizen list and expanded USPS mail-voting authority, and the administration is now appealing to move fast before November. AI and Scams: Prosecutors say an AI-enabled romance scam tied to Ghana targeted Americans out of about $15 million, underscoring how AI is making fraud harder to spot. Immigration Detention Ruling: A judge ordered release on bail for an undocumented Las Vegas man detained for months without knowing charges, after a court struck down mandatory detention policy. National Security: Secretary of State Blinken said Ukraine is on a pathway to full NATO membership, raising stakes with Russia.