Everything was hunky-dory, but for some 260 “Free America” protests held nationwide against the 'Beautiful Bill' that curtailed medical aid and food programs sometimes playing spoilsport. In certain places in Califormia celebrations were cancelled due to immigration raids.

WASHINGTON, July 4: The Americans celebrated the ratification of the Declaration of Independence from Britain in 1776 that marked the beginning of the United States of America with flags, flyovers, fireworks, parades and competitions across the country on July 4. It was a holiday.

President Donald the New Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted the Independence Day celebrations at the White House, marked by the signing of what he called the epoch-making 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' that topped up a lengthy speech from the Blue Room balcony congratulating himself and those Republicans who struggled hard for its passage through the Congress.

Leading the Fourth of July festivities, Trump promised, "We’re going to celebrate like never before. This is just the beginning.” He was referring to a grand 250th Independence day next year! And an echo of his favourite “America is winning, winning, winning like never before.”

Later, Trump and Melania looked on from the White House portico as the Independence Day fireworks display was under way at the National Mall watched by crowds in the night.

Across the country, flag shows, flyovers, parades, fireworks, races and other events marked the day.

However, in certain places like in California celebrations were cancelled due to immigration raids. Apart, protests were also held at places over Trump's Beautiful Bill that curtailed medical aid and food programs.

More than 100 newly naturalized citizens were celebrated at Mount Vernon in Alexandria, Virginia, the historic home of George Washington. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Hollywood icon and former Governor of California, addressed the nation’s newest citizens.

He said, “Fifty-seven years ago when I came to this country, not in my wildest dreams did I think that one day this immigrant would be asked to lay a wreath at George Washington’s tomb — and to be asked to give the keynote speech at this spectacular event here today.”

The celebrations

Trump hosted a lavish celebration at the White House, setting the stage for the upcoming 250th anniversary in 2026.

Americans across the US gathered for parades, fireworks and family barbecues. But the spotlight shone brightest on Washington.

At the White House Trump and Melania welcomed military families and dignitaries to the South Lawn for a day of celebration and ceremony. The event featured military flyovers including B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, F-35s and F-22s roaring over the White House; a barbecue picnic honouring “national heroes” and service members; a fireworks display over the National Mall, synchronized to patriotic music and capped with Trump’s signature anthem, “Y.M.C.A.”

In a dramatic flourish, Trump signed into law the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a $3.4 trillion package of tax cuts and spending reforms. The Bill includes tax relief for tipped workers and increased funding for immigration enforcement.

“America is winning, winning, winning like never before,” Trump declared from the Blue Room Balcony.

As part of the kickoff for the America250 campaign - a year-long celebration leading to the 250th anniversary in 2026 - Trump teased an unprecedented event: A UFC championship fight on the White House grounds. UFC president Dana White is reportedly on board, with plans for up to 25,000 attendees.

Trump also announced a national sports competition for high school athletes, a culminating festival on the National Mall in 2026, special events at every national park and historic site.

Melania draws reverence

The media described the First Lady as elegance incarnate in a crisp white Thom Browne shirtdress with red Manolo Blahnik heels, standing on the South Lawn, turning heads.

Her understated look paid tribute to American grace and tradition.

And, her timeless ensemble made a style statement of a real chic First Lady, but not adequately responding to a crazy POTUS's PDA (see video).

In New York City, the fireworks show lit up the skyline with over 80,000 shells in 30 colours, including projection mapping on the Brooklyn Bridge. The show cost an estimated $6 million.

Everything was hunky-dory, but for some 260 “Free America” protests held nationwide against the 'Beautiful Bill' sometimes playing spoilsport. Latino-majority communities canceled parades amid ICE raids.

The takeaways

• Breathtaking flyovers by B-2 bombers and fighter jets over the South Lawn
• Explosions of fireworks over the National Mall and Brooklyn Bridge
• Trump’s Signing the Bill on the lawn flanked by lawmakers, then mingling with the audience. Trump dismissed critics: “Everybody’s going to live."
• Melania’s timeless look in a white ensemble that turned heads befitted a First Lady on the White House lawns.

What next

With just one year until the semiquincentennial, the White House has launched a Task Force 250 to coordinate nationwide celebrations. Plans include a Great American State Fair, a National Garden of American Heroes, and a year-long tribute to American innovation and unity.

The CCTV footage and the video circulating on social media do not indicate any serious abnormalities in takeoff or descent, it has been confirmed. The disaster is becoming curiouser and curiouser. The flight path was not curvy. And the aircraft maintained a steady, gliding descent with its nose straight and the wings perfectly level. The pilot's distress call does not specify what prevented lift and climb-out. Here are some expert opinions. The sole purpose is to raise travellers' awareness about air travel.

Many of the victims were charred beyond recognition, making identification difficult. Three hundred nineteen body parts have been sent for DNA matching with relatives to determine the identities.

• The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla line provides Kashmir with all-weather connectivity and integrates the Valley with the rest of India.
• The saying 'Kashmir to Kanyakumari' is now a dream come true.
• The Chenab bridge on the line, an engineering marvel, is the world's highest railway bridge, taller than the Eiffel Tower. (Video: File)

A comment on social media on Kanimozhi's answer on the question of national language read: "Daughter of Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi. Delivered the Birthday Present to her Father!!" (Karunanidhi was born on June 3, 1924) (Today's headlines )

Trump said, "Elon is not really leaving" and will be "back and forth" to the White House because DOGE is his "baby." "I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things.”

Musk wrote: "My scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end... The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." Now on it will be on auto-pilot.

PROGNOSIS: DOGE was prematurely born to protect the country by aborting an impending socio-economic disaster which very few people could see coming.

Although its immediate job was to save American taxpayers billions by slashing waste, eliminating fraud, cutting Government bloat and ensuring utmost efficiency in administration for the good of the people. (Today's headlines )

"Coming from a system like in England, empowering," she says she never had an idea of this sort of experience... being asked to “socialise with middle-aged men” who financed the event...humiliating...

Originally from Junagadh, Gujarat, Pataudi was relocated to Etawah Lion Safari in September 2019 before being transferred to Gorakhpur Zoo in 2021. Recently it was receiving treatment for pancreatic and liver infections. After tigress Shakti died in the zoo on May 7 due to bird flu, Pataudi was shifted to Kanpur. Some birds are also reported to have died mysteriously around Gorakhpur. All zoos in UP are closed for fear of a bird flu outbreak.

Three other animals too had died - a tiger, a leopardess and a female wolf. Wolf Bhairavi died last Saturday, leopardess Mona died the Thursday before that and tiger Kesari died on March 30. Some of them had Shakti's symptoms but the cause of death has not been confirmed yet.

As tourist inflow is an indicator of normalcy returning to an erstwhile terrorist infested Valley, the Government has been trying hard to make everything travel-friendly, launching lot many projects and bringing Kashmir on the national rail map that physically completes the process of Kashmir's integration with the rest of India. And that defeats the designs of Pakistan eyeing Kashmir and simply explains a recrudescence of terrorism in J&K.

The committee headed by justice Kurian Joseph will study Centre-State relations and make proposals to ensure foolproof separation of powers.

"It's a big victory not just for Tamil Nadu but for all Indian States. DMK will continue to struggle for and win State autonomy and Federal polity," Chief Minister MK Stalin said.

Of 2.08 km in length, it features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of ships while ensuring seamless train services to the holy town of Rameswaram on Pamban island.

ANALYSIS: There is a lot of hue and cry around the world over Trump's tariffs. But tariff, simply put, is a tax. But unlike tax, it affects the exporting country too. Domestic prices will go up for some time. Nothing more will happen, good or bad!

What motivated Trump's newfound policy, apart from being a stunt to justify his existence in the White House, is a false realisation that increased tariff will make foreign goods prohibitive, thereby boosting local production, and create more jobs, and more prosperity will ring in! If that is true, India would have been shining by now: Producing own Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail and Scotch Whiskies! And what about coconut and palm oil by America! (Today's headlines )

PROGNOSIS: It looks a Real New Trump is emerging - courageous, balanced, powerful and disinterested. Determined to save his country from the cliff, he has done quite a few draconian things that will reduce the burden of debts of the Federal entity, like the golden handshake, stopping senseless funding, pulling out of a worthless WHO. Shutting the Education Department is another. On the other hand, running it is also not the Centre's job either (We will convincingly elaborate it in the next chapter).

In India the scene is just the opposite. Centralisation is the core agenda and identity of the ruling dispensation without which it has no existence, or in other words, it exists for that set of schemes only. A realisation of this never dawned upon any Opposition party in 2014 or any time thereafter, what to talk of being able to see it coming 70 years ago! The consequence of all this violation of basic natural law of the universe we cannot predict.

THE AMERICAN CONUNDRUM: Political venom has migrated to top echelons in the US. It was reported last year NASA has become politicised, vitiated. But NASA refuted the charge. How Boeing developed a glitch but its unmanned return was smooth. When Suni-Wilmore were stranded last June, why the return was set for February? Because that comes only after January 20! SpaceX called the shots, for itself and for Trump. Then the mission was manipulated for March for a better bargain! In between, what made Elon Musk 'predict' during campaign if Kamala Harris wins he would be in jail. In politics, it is said, "the only rule is there are no rules." Difficult times for Americans too.

The terminations are part of a large-scale exercise going on all across Fed departments and organisations to reduce wasteful Government expenditure as decided by a Trump in a mess gone berserk, and improve administrative efficiency following the whims of billionaire and his associate Elon MusK and his DOGE. It has not been shared how terminations are going to raise the efficiency bar! It looks like Trump has stolen some of the prescriptions meant for India. But the American problems are quite different.

Suddenly these colonial clerks feel this effortless, little rule will tremendously enhance security and convenience for the railway passengers manifold. More stations will be covered in the next 77 years! (Also See: New Delhi station stampede... What went wrong?)

ANALYSIS: "The standard operating procedure for deportations by aircraft used by ICE that is effective from 2012 provides for the use of restraints," says the Government. That means, it is taken for granted the US will set the standard for deportations. For another, the Government is more interested in comparing with what happened in 2012 under a different Government to justify its own compliance! No surprise, others are trampling upon us. (How we conduct ourselves inside decides, inherently, how we are treated outside) Thirdly, the Government blamed the gangs doing the business of human trafficking for the illegal migration. For all the crimes taking place in the country, let us blame the criminals! Funny! We will never move an inch forward! The mindset defines what we are.

Meanwhile, a UN-returned Congress leader Shashi Tharoor sounded like a layman when he said, "If they are citizens of India we have an obligation to take them back." Who said 'No'?. He should know that is not the issue now. Who will identify an undocumented person, and how?

The function was held indoors from 12 pm (10:30 pm IST) at the rotunda of the US Capitol building because of unusually intense cold and snow. Delivering his inaugural address, Trump remarked, “The golden age of America begins right now," and just hours later signed a slew of executive orders to redeem the election pledges.