U.S. marks 250th birthday with major July 4 events

Extreme heat forced Washington, D.C., organizers to cancel the Independence Day parade and delay entry to the National Mall’s Washington Monument grounds until 5 p.m., four hours later than planned, as the U.S. marked its 250th anniversary. The capital’s July 4 program still included military flyovers, a speech by President Donald Trump, and a planned 40-minute fireworks display using more than 850,000 fireworks. Celebrations nationwide proceeded amid 90-degree heat across much of the eastern and central U.S., with storms possible as the heat wave entered its final stretch.