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Episode Date: July 3, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. Ukraine has declared today a day of morning after Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at the capital city of Kiev early Thursday. Officials say at least 27 people were killed, scores more wounded. NPR's Greg Myrie. Ukraine has suffered terribly in the war in terms of the people, soldiers and civilians killed and wounded, the damage to the economy. But it's also learned great resilience, great innovation, playing a role in the security of Europe that others would not have anticipated a few years ago. I think in some ways those who survived this war and Ukraine as a country can come out much, much stronger. Russia says the attacks were in retaliation for Ukrainian drone strikes.

Kiev has stepped up such attacks in recent weeks, including on oil. refineries leading to a fuel shortage in Russia. The FBI is directing 260 staffers to its investigation of the 2020 election into Georgia's most populous county. A memo obtained by the Associated Press describes the investigation as a priority for the agencies. Melissa Fado, member station W-A-V-E reports. Fulton County has been a key part of President Donald Trump's unfounded claims that 2020 presidential election was stolen from him. The memo does not describe details of the investigation. People familiar with the matter who insisted on anonymity to discuss internal decision making confirmed with the AP, it's related to the probe, into the 2020 election in Georgia.

The FBI field office in Atlanta declined a request for comment. The Bureau raided a Fulton County elections office in January, where hundreds of boxes of elections records and ballots were seized. The county has sued to get its records back, but in May, a judge decided the federal government could keep them. For NPR News, I'm Melissa Fato in Atlanta. The National Weather Service has issued extreme heat warnings for much of central and eastern parts of the country. The dangerously high temperatures likely to last through the Independence Day weekend. NPR 32 Chatterjee reports extreme heat, a risk not just to physical health but also mental health. People with pre-existing mental health conditions are the most vulnerable to the mental health impacts of extreme heat.

Studies showed that as summer temperatures rise, so do number of visits to emergency departments for mental health. health conditions. Amruta Nouri Sarma is an environmental health researcher at Harvard University. We looked at things like mood disorders, anxiety and stress disorders, schizophrenia, self-harm, substance use disorders. And we saw similar increases in the rates of emergency department visits across these different causes. Experts advise people with mental health issues to try and stay in cool places and talk with their doctors about their risks. Read the Chatterjee and PR News. This is NPR News. Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell remains hospitalized.

McConnell was first admitted more than two weeks ago. MPR's Eric McDaniel has more on a statement from McConnell's office. The statement says, quote, The senator continues to improve and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session, end quote. At 84, McConnell regularly moves about the capital in a wheelchair. In 2023, McConnell frozen appeared unable to speak for nearly 30 seconds during his weekly press conference as majority leader. He's also suffered a series of falls, including one that resulted in a concussion in nearly six-week absence. The senator announced in 2024 he'd step down from

leadership and in 2025 that he'd not seek another six-year term in office. After more than four decades, McConnell's time in Congress is set to conclude at the end of this year. Eric McDaniel, NPR News, Washington. Members of a breakaway traditionalist Catholic group accusing Pope Leo of failing to hear their concerns. The group known as a society of pious attention, says it will carry on and remain focused on preserving church traditions. Following tensions for decades of Vatican declared Thursday that the group formally broke with Rome and it consecrated four new bishops without Pope Leo's consent. A volunteer at Britain's National Archives has discovered a rare early copy of the Declaration of Independence.

Michael Scurr says he founded in May while cataloging 18th century documents. It's one of only 11 known copies of what's called. called the Exeter printing, made just days after the original was signed. In 1776, newly found declaration was unveiled Thursday. I'm Jail Snyder, NPR News.