5 things to know for June 25: America’s 250th, Venezuela earthquakes, border wall, war powers, contraband

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

The Great American State Fair opens today on the National Mall, which the Trump administration has described as a showcase of contributions from all 56 states and territories. The 16-day event will feature food, games and other traditional fair elements, with military flyovers and patriotic pageantry rounding out the festivities.

Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

1️⃣ America’s 250th

Preparations are underway for America’s 250th birthday on July 4, prompting a fresh look at the nation’s past — and its future. A new Gallup poll released this week found that 77% of Americans think the country’s founders would be disappointed by the way the US has turned out. CNN also spoke with descendants of Jefferson, Franklin and other Founding Fathers, who have plenty to say about the state of the nation. Here’s how they see the US today.

2️⃣ Venezuela earthquakes

Dozens are dead and hundreds more are injured after two back-to-back earthquakes struck Venezuela’s northern coast on Wednesday evening. Search-and-rescue teams are now racing to reach people trapped beneath collapsed buildings and rubble. The second quake, with a magnitude of 7.5, was the country’s strongest in more than a century, while the 7.2 foreshock ranks as its fourth-largest on record. Read more.

IN PICTURES: Destruction after quakes hit Venezuela

3️⃣ Border wall

President Trump wants to finish the border wall by the end of his term and is stepping up efforts on multiple fronts to meet that goal. It’s an enormous task that will require the administration to build around 775 miles of new wall by the end of 2027, and several hundred more miles of secondary and waterborne barrier by the end of 2028. One hurdle, though, is land acquisition, as extending the wall requires seizing privately owned land, primarily in Texas. Read more.

4️⃣ War powers

A day after voting to limit President Donald Trump’s Iran war powers, the Senate walked back its rebuke. The late-night vote on Wednesday came after Trump expressed frustration with Senate Republicans, arguing that Congress had undermined his position at the negotiating table with Iran. Read more.

5️⃣ Contraband

The Justice Department has announced charges in a “sophisticated” criminal operation that it says used high-powered drones to deliver weapons, drugs, cell phones and escape tools into prisons in East Coast states. Authorities say the rogue drone operation led out of a former daycare in Georgia was a staging ground where multiple drones were launched on covert missions to deliver the contraband by air to 10 federal prisons at night. Read more.

Breakfast browse

The wedding rumor that won’t go away

Would Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce really get married in New York City’s Madison Square Garden? The evidence is starting to look oddly compelling.

Nike’s ‘mind-altering’ shoes are flying off shelves

Nike’s Mind shoe range has rapidly sold out across worldwide releases, with buyers eager to get their hands on the “neuroscience-based footwear.”

Is this Ben & Jerry’s most political pint?

A new Ben & Jerry’s flavor, called Milk & Honey, is stirring debate.

US awaits Christian Pulisic’s return

USA soccer star Christian Pulisic hopes to play against Turkey today in his team’s final World Cup group stage match.

Speaking of the beautiful game …

Watch this short video to learn the story behind the World Cup trophy.

+ CNN Sports can give you behind-the-scenes reporting from the World Cup straight to your inbox. Click here to sign up for The Beautiful Game newsletter.

And finally…

▶️ Man breaks world record for loudest person

Fair warning: You may want to lower your volume before watching this.

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