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After a five-year hiatus, Fourth of July fireworks will return to Mount Rushmore this summer despite wildfire concerns.

The National Park ServiceannouncedMonday that the Independence Day celebration is returning to the historic presidential landmark in South Dakota to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country's founding. Officials said the event will be held on July 3rd and tickets will be made available through a public lottery early next month.

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"In partnership with the State of South Dakota, we are excited to reinstate a spectacular fireworks show as the highlight of Mount Rushmore's Independence Day commemoration," said Dr. Jenifer Chatfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. "We invite the public to enjoy the show and reflect on our nation's remarkable journey and the great patriotic leaders who established, preserved and expanded our country's destiny."

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Fourth of July firework displays had been held at Mt. Rushmore most years starting in the late 1990s. In 2010, however, the event was suspended due to various concerns, including wildfire risk and environmental concerns.

Then in 2020, during President Donald Trump's first term in office, then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem successfully lobbied to bring the Independence Day celebration event back to Mt. Rushmore following a decade-long hiatus. A year later, the event was again canceled when the Biden administration denied permits for fireworks, citing the same wildfire and environmental concerns.

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Meanwhile, Monday's announcement from the National Park Service made no mention of any planned fire prevention measures for this year's event even as drought grips much of the region.According to the National Drought Mitigation Center,Pennington County, South Dakota — which includes Mt. Rushmore — is currently facing "severe drought" conditions. Many western states are also experiencing some of their lowest snowpack in decades, which is depleting future water supplies and setting the stage for what could be a busy wildfire season.

Kate Middleton and Prince William stepped out with King Charles for the first time since ex-Prince Andrew's arrest in February

NEED TO KNOW

• The Prince and Princess of Wales attended the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 9

• The King was also joined by Queen Camilla and other royals for the annual service

Kate MiddletonandPrince Williamshowed their support forKing Charlesat the biggest public gathering of royals since the former Prince Andrew was arrested.

On March 9, the Prince and Princess of Wales attended the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London, the couple's wedding day venue in April 2011. They arrived in coordinating blue ensembles, with Kate wearing a Catherine Walker coat and matching hat.

They joined King Charles,Queen Camilla,Princess Anneand her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester for the service.

Prince Albert of Monaco also joined the congregation.

Inside, the royals greeted each other warmly, including acurtsy and a kiss on the cheekfor King Charles from his daughter-in-law, Princess Kate.

In other years,Andrew Mountbatten-Windsormight have attended. But, after hestepped back from royal dutiesin the wake of his links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2019, he did not attend many official royal engagements. However, he continued to join the royals at family events such as funerals and holiday church outings.

In October 2025, King Charles announced that he was stripping Andrew's royal titles and honors. In addition, Andrew would have to give up his lease at Royal Lodge, the residence where he's lived for many years.

Then came the bombshell news ofAndrew's arrest on Feb. 19, his 66thbirthday, at his temporary home of Wood Farm at the royal family's Sandringham estate in Norfolk, over allegations of misconduct in public office. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

At Westminster Abbey on March 9, anti-monarchy protestors gathered outside the service with signs alluding to Andrew's scandals. Some held letters that spelled out "What did you know?" while another read "Charles, what are you hiding?"

Inside, the 1,800-strong congregation at the Commonwealth Day service heard an address from former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner, who is a Royal Commonwealth Society Ambassador, while dancer Oti Mabuse gave a reflection. There was also a poem from Selina Tusitala Marsh, the inaugural Commonwealth Poet Laureate.

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There was also the world premiere of the Commonwealth Symphony, composed by Rekesh Chauhan and a collaboration between the Royal Ballet School and Sapnay Entertainments Ltd., which unveiled a cross-cultural partnership between classical ballet and Bollywood.

The service brought together government representatives, young people and leaders from the creative community, showcasing how the Commonwealth — which comprises the U.K. and the family of 55 other nations and 2.7 billion people — can harmonize its diverse voices.

The theme is said to have been inspired by the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026 theme of Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth.

A traditional Scottish Ceilidh band and the Melodians Steel Drum Orchestra also contributed their unique talent to the service.

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Although the BBC traditionally broadcasts the Commonwealth Day service, the network did not do so this year for the first time since 1989. Instead, an episode ofEscape to the Country,a long-running reality TV show that follows prospective homeowners leaving city life,aired.

"Our decision not to broadcast the Commonwealth Day Ceremony in the same way we've done in previous years reflects the difficult choices we have to make in light of our funding challenges," the BBC said in a statement, perHello!magazine. "We can confirm BBC News plans to cover the service across its platforms, including the BBC One bulletins and rolling news channel."

King Charles also releases a message in honor of Commonwealth Day, withthis year's addressfocusing on being a "force for good" amid the world's challenges.

"We join together on this Commonwealth Day at a time of great challenge and great possibility," the King says in a preview of the full speech released over the weekend. "Across our world, communities and nations face the increasing pressures of conflict, climate change and rapid transformation. Yet it is often in such testing moments that the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth is most clearly revealed."

He continues, "Working together, we can ensure that the Commonwealth continues to stand as a force for good — grounded in community, committed to the kind of restorative sustainability that has a return on investment, enriched by culture, steadfast in its care for our planet, and united in friendship and in the service of its people."

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The U.S. may be responsible for the bombing ofa girls' school in Iranthat killed 168 people, many of them children, on Feb. 28, sources told CBS News.

The preliminary U.S. assessment suggests that the United States is "likely" responsible for the deadly attack but did not intentionally target the school and may have hit it in error, possibly due to the use of dated intelligence which wrongly identified the area as still part of an Iranian military installation, a person briefed on the preliminary intelligence told CBS News.

Israel's military was also not operating in the area, two sources told CBS News.

An additional source familiar with the ongoing inquiry told CBS News that investigators believe the U.S. military may have been responsible because it was operating in the area while Israel's military was not, though no final conclusions have been reached.

And an Israeli government source told CBS News that Israel was not behind the attack and its military was not operating near the school.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told CBS News in a statement that the "investigation is ongoing," and "There are no conclusions at this time, and it is both irresponsible and false for anyone to claim otherwise."

CBS News has confirmed the school building was located in close proximity to two sites controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Minab, a city in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan.

Footage filmed from a parking lot showed black smoke billowing from a damaged building adorned with murals featuring drawings of crayons, children and an apple. The CBS News Confirmed team geolocated the video to a building in Minab. Iranian media identified the building as the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school.

Iranian state media said at least 168 people, including schoolgirls ages 7 to 12, were killed in the strike which occurred last Saturday, on thefirst day of the war. Saturdays are regular school days in Iran.

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Alist publishedin Iranian state media from authorities in Iran's Minab county claimed to show the names of 57 of those killed.Human Rights Watch has saidat least 48 of those names appear to be children, according to their birthdates on the list, along with their school principal and teachers.

Without providing evidence, President Trump said Saturday that the U.S. believes the bombing "was done by Iran" and cited information that he had seen.

"We think it was done by Iran, because they're very inaccurate with their munitions, they have no accuracy whatsoever, it was done by Iran," Mr. Trump said aboard Air Force One after attending thedignified transferof six U.S. soldiers who were killed in an Iranian strike in Kuwait on March 1.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and U.S. Central Command have both said an investigation was ongoing and did not echo the president's assertions.

Questioned about the incident in aCBS News "60 Minutes"interview that aired Sunday, Hegseth said "unlike our adversaries, the Iranians, we never target civilians," and "it's being investigated, which is the only answer I'm prepared to give."

The New York Times and Reuters were first to report that the U.S. may be behind the fatal bombing.

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