News Wrap: Beryl weakens to tropical storm as it cuts across Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula

Read the Full Transcript

• Amna Nawaz:

  In the day's other headlines: Hurricane Beryl has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it cuts across Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

  Beryl made landfall in Mexico this morning as a Category 2 hurricane with winds around 100 miles an hour. It's left at least 11 people dead across the Caribbean. And it's expected to regain hurricane strength this weekend as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico and heads towards Texas. Officials there are urging coastal communities to prepare and have issued preemptive disaster declarations for 39 counties.

  The Kansas Supreme Court reaffirmed the state's abortion protections today, rejecting two anti-abortion laws. One would have banned a common second trimester procedure. The other would regulate abortion providers more strictly than other health care professionals.

  Justice Eric Rosen wrote the state constitution — quote — "protects a fundamental right to personal autonomy, which includes a pregnant person's right to terminate a pregnancy."

  Donald Trump's lawyers asked a U.S. judge today to pause the classified documents case against him in Florida, citing the Supreme Court's ruling this week granting presidents broad immunity for official acts. In their filing, they argue that a pause would — quote — "minimize the adverse consequences to the institution of the presidency arising from this unconstitutional investigation and prosecution.

  The request comes days after the judge in his New York hush money trial agreed to delay sentencing as he weighs the potential impact of the court's decision.

  Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says Russia and Ukraine are still — quote — "far from each other" in ending their war. That came during his unannounced visit to Moscow today, where he became the first European leader to meet with President Vladimir Putin since 2022. Orban was in Kyiv just three days ago, urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept a cease-fire.

  European leaders panned the Moscow trip as a form of appeasement, rather than diplomacy. Orban argued he is in a unique position.

  Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary (through interpreter): There are fewer and fewer, and now remain hardly any, who are able to speak with both warring parties. Hungary is one of very few.

• Amna Nawaz:

  After their meeting, Putin repeated his conditions that Ukraine withdraw forces from four regions that Russia claims to have annexed in 2022.

  Cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas look to be active again for the first time in weeks. Israel says that a top official held initial meetings with mediators in Doha today, but noted — quote — "gaps between the parties." That follows Hamas submitting amendments to a three-phase proposal backed by Israel, the U.S. and other nations. Talks are set to resume next week.

  In the meantime, Palestinian authorities say that an Israeli raid and airstrike in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin killed seven people. A militant group claimed four of its members were among the dead.

  Iranians voted in a run-off presidential election today after a first round last week failed to produce a clear winner amid record low turnout. It's to replace the country's late president, Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May. And it comes after years of social unrest and bruising economic sanctions.

  Iranians are choosing between hard-liner Saeed Jalili and reformist lawmaker Masoud Pezeshkian. Some who voted today are hoping for change. Others say there's no point, since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the ultimate decision-maker.

• Woman (through interpreter):

  I want to save the country from the isolation we are stuck in and from lies and the violence against women.

• Woman (through interpreter):

  I will not vote because whoever comes to power cannot do anything since there's someone else above them.

• Amna Nawaz:

  A government spokesperson said turnout today was higher than in the last round, but videos posted online claimed to show some polling stations were empty. Final results are expected on Saturday.

  At least 20 people have died and dozens more injured across the U.S. to start the extended July 4 holiday weekend. In Chicago alone, local media say 11 people were killed and 55 injured in the shootings as of this morning. In Huntington Beach, California, two people were killed and three were injured just a few hours after a fireworks display ended.

  And in New York, a truck plowed into a crowd of revelers in Manhattan, killing three people and injuring at least eight others. Police say the driver was intoxicated. The July 4 holiday is historically one of the deadliest of the year.

  And on Wall Street, stocks ended higher after that monthly jobs data provided new hope for a potential interest rate cut. The Dow Jones industrial average inched up, gaining 67 points. The Nasdaq scored its fourth straight record close, adding more than 160 points. And the S&P 500 also climbed further into record territory.

Improved audio player available on our mobile page