On this 4th of July, Americans are celebrating with picnics, cookouts and parades, even though they are enduring this heat wave. This evening, many people will be watching the fireworks. NPR’s Craig Windham reports one of the largest is the Macy’s “Ignite the Night” display over the Hudson River in New York City.

 

Amy Kule is executive director of the fireworks extravaganza. She says it has taken a year of planning and some intense work preparing the more than 40,000 aerial shells.

 

“We’re here for two full weeks with 40 technicians putting everything into place.”

 

Gary Souza is the designer of the fireworks display. He says one highlight will be a nearly mile-long stream of light and stars spawned by dozens of exploding shells.

 

“They’ll make this beautiful, beautiful golden cascade with silver sparkles at the end of each of the stars.”

 

Souza says the shells will be fired from motors positioned on several barges in the river on the west side of Manhattan. Craig Windham, NPR News.

 

The state Court of Appeals in California is upholding the legality of medical marijuana dispensaries under state law. NPR's Ina Jaffe reports the ruling strikes down the attempts of cities and counties to ban the pot shops outright.

 

The three-judge panel ruled the state law legalizing medical marijuana preempts a Los Angeles county ordinance prohibiting medical marijuana dispensaries. The decision said the LA County’s ban “directly contradicts the legislature's intent.” Later this month, the city of Los Angeles was scheduled to vote on a ban similar to the county’s. The court of appeals still allows cities and counties to regulate the dispensaries like other businesses, determining whether they can locate and requiring them to have business licenses. While the state court upheld California’s medical marijuana law, the federal government still considers it illegal and has moved to cease the buildings where pot shops are operating. Ina Jaffe, NPR News.

 

France and Britain say they will push for tougher UN action against Syria if a transition plan doesn't bring a quick end to violence there. Frustration in some quarters is growing with a UN-brokered peace plan that could allow President Bashar al-Assad to take part in a transitional government.

 

US markets are closed for the holiday. 

 

This is NPR.

 

NGO workers in Egypt have had another day in court, but Kimberly Adams reports many of the defendants were not in the room. 

 

An Egyptian court heard more testimony today against workers for several foreign pro-democracy groups. But only 16 of the 43 defendants showed up, according to state media. Earlier this year, the Egyptian government charged the workers with operating in the country illegally, souring relations between Egypt and Western governments. Many of the international workers, including the son of US Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood, left the country as soon as a court lifted their travel ban and have not returned for the trial. However, several Egyptian staffers are still in the country, facing charges. For NPR News, this is Kimberly Adams in Cairo. 

 

International debt inspectors are in Greece and the island nation of Cyprus this week. Joanna Kakissis reports from Athens that Greece wants the lenders to soften austerity measures, while Cyprus needs bailout loans to stay solvent.

 

The debt inspectors are called the troika. They represent the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The IMF’s Managing Director Christine Laggard says the troika is not in Athens to negotiate new terms but to check on the progress of reforms. The troika has consistently criticized Greece for failing to implement reforms in exchange for billions in bailout loans. Meanwhile, Cyprus says it may need more than 12 billion dollars in rescue loans to stay solvent. That’s more than half of its GDP. The tiny eurozone country is at risk of default because it’s heavily exposed to Greek debt. For NPR News, I’m Joanna Kakissis in Athens.