Transcript of Evening Wire: Lovers Propose Atop Empire State Building & Tehran Preps For Supreme Leader’s Burial | 7.2.26

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Tehran prepares for the burial of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Governor Tim Walz pardons an illegal immigrant who sexually assaulted a child, and two lovers illegally scale the Empire State Building for a one-of-a-kind marriage proposal. I'm Georgia Howe, John is out this week. It's Thursday, July 2nd, and this is Evening Wire. Tehran is preparing for the July 9th burial of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Here with the details is Daily Wire Foreign Affairs reporter Kassia Kiva.

Iran is preparing for what officials say could be the largest state funeral in the country's history, as millions are expected to attend ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Under the slogan, "We must rise," the funeral will span Iran and Iraq before Khamenei is buried in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9th. Islamic tradition typically calls for burial shortly after death, but experts say Khamenei's body has likely been refrigerated for more than 4 months while the country endured war. The leaders of Pakistan and Tajikistan are expected to attend, while other countries will send lower-level delegations.

A dangerous heat dome continues to grip much of the eastern United States, with temperatures climbing into the upper 90s and triple-digit heat indexes. Officials are warning of heat-related illness and increased strain on power grids. In New York City, Mayor Zoran Momdani urged residents to set their air conditioners to 78 degrees, turn off lights and electronics, and unplug devices to reduce electricity demand. Saying the steps would help keep the grid stable during the extreme heat. The guidance, however, drew immediate viral criticism, with figures like Spencer Pratt posting, quote, "Show us your thermostat, commie." Dave Portnoy then added, quote, "78 degrees. Welcome to communism, people. Hope you enjoy." Ohio's governor is poised to sign a bill to crack down on home healthcare fraud in the state. Daily Wire reporter Zach Jewell has the details.

The bill received overwhelming bipartisan support from state legislators, and it addresses, among other abuses, Medicaid fraud in Ohio. Lawmakers had already drafted a bill on food stamp fraud when The Daily Wire's exposé on Medicaid fraud dropped in May. The state Senate then revised the bill to target loopholes identified in The Daily Wire report. GOP State Representative Jennifer Gross is the chair of the House Medicaid Committee. She called the bill, quote, a major step forward and said it delivers in-person provider inspections, strong electronic visit verification, tougher penalties for fraud, and oversight tools that, quote, "will protect taxpayer dollars and safeguard services for those who truly need them." 3 of America's largest egg producers have agreed to settle allegations that they colluded to pump up egg prices in recent years.

According to a federal complaint, executives at Cal-Maine Foods, Versova, and Hickman's Egg Ranch worked together from 2022 to 2025 to raise egg prices. A complaint in federal court detailed some of the alleged behavior. One executive was quoted as saying, "As a group, we need to bid like they vote in Chicago—early and often." The DOJ said the companies manipulated egg prices by collectively bidding in a wholesale egg marketplace known as the Egg Clearing House. Those orders ultimately went unfilled, but the aggressive bids helped push egg prices higher. Among other penalties under the settlement, the companies must donate more than 50 million eggs to food banks and pay $3.3 million to the DOJ and 17 states involved in the investigation. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has pardoned an illegal immigrant convicted of child rape to stop his deportation. Daily Wire assistant editor Andy Valdez has the story.

Thulhu Vang illegally entered the United States from Laos in 1994, but was granted legal status under the Clinton administration. In 2006, he was convicted of repeatedly raping a 10-year-old girl. At his trial, Vang claimed that his actions were, quote, "a cultural thing." Vang then received deportation orders, which were never carried out. Last year, during the Trump administration's deportation crackdown, Vang was rearrested and set to finally be deported. Now, those deportation orders will never be fulfilled, as a 3-person Minnesota panel, including Governor Tim Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, has issued Vang a complete pardon to keep him in the country. Despite admitting to years of sexual abuse of a minor, Vang's record has now been wiped completely clean.

A devout Orthodox Jew invited about a dozen friends to pray in his home. His city required him to get a permit and recruited his neighbors to spy on him. It sounds impossible, but it happened in University Heights, Ohio, to a man named Daniel Grand. That's why Alliance Defending Freedom and Oreck, Harrington Sutcliffe are defending Daniel at the U.S. Supreme Court. Alliance Defending Freedom never bills its clients, and right now your gift will be doubled by matching grant while matching funds last. Go to joinadf.com/wire or text WIRE to 83848 to defend the freedom to pray at home. That's joinadf.com/wire or text WIRE to 83848.

Britain announced its largest defense spending increase since the Cold War. Officials explicitly credit President Trump's long-running calls for NATO allies to shoulder more of their own defense burden. The UK will add roughly $20 billion to a 4-year military investment plan, which has already had nearly $400 billion committed. Committed. This massive expenditure will fund new drones, submarines, cyber capabilities, and other advanced weapons as it works towards spending 3.5% of GDP on defense by 2035. Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Kyiv in recent months, firing dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones that killed at least 21 people and injured at least 85. That's according to Ukrainian officials. The barrage damaged apartment buildings and other civilian sites across the capital as tens of thousands of residents sought shelter underground. The strikes came after Ukraine stepped up long-range attacks inside Russia, though President Vladimir Putin has signaled he intends to continue the war despite mounting pressure on Russian infrastructure. Rumors swirl around pop star Taylor Swift and her expected wedding to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Daily Wire reporter Lauren Baier has the details.

The latest buzz is that Swift's superstar wedding will take place this weekend at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Earlier this week, sources told CNN that MSG has been booked for two events this weekend, both related to Swift's wedding. Those events are a rehearsal on Thursday and a big party for 1,000 people on Friday. Many of Swift's followers, however, have dismissed the reports. They say the choice of venue, a commercial space in the middle of a major city, sounds like an unlikely spot for Swift to tie the knot. However, a June 18th report from TMZ said Kelce and Swift bailed on a planned coastal ceremony in Rhode Island after the venue leaked, adding to security concerns. A major venue like MSG would be much easier to lock down away from prying eyes.

The US men's national soccer team scored its most important win in decades last night. Team USA triumphed over Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-1 in the round of 32, the first knockout stage match the US has won in the World Cup since 2002. But it came at a high cost. Because of a red card, Team USA will be without its leading scorer, Folarin Balogun, for its round of 16 match against Belgium. Balogun received a red card in the game's 64th minute after he collided with a Bosnia-Herzegovina player. Team USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino said he disagreed with the severe penalty after the game.

For me, never is a red card. Watching after on TV, and never was the intention. To step up of the, of the player. That was a normal action in football that happened because by accident and it's never intentional. That is why for me, never, it's never red card.

The two lovers who illegally scaled New York City's iconic Empire State Building on Wednesday have been identified as Ivan Birkas and Angela Nikolau. The starstruck daredevils starred in a 2024 Netflix documentary, Skywalkers: A Love Story. Birkus and Nicolau managed to reach the peak of the New York City landmark and unfurl a banner that read, quote, "When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace." While at the top with police helicopters circling, Birkus got down on one knee and proposed to Nicolau. New York City police arrested the newly engaged couple immediately after they descended the tower. They face a series of charges including burglary, reckless endangerment, and criminal mischief. Those are your drive home updates this evening. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And in case you missed it earlier today, we covered some major stories including Democratic socialists flexing their power with another major win, venture capitalists betting on American dominance, and the WNBA producing the meme of the summer following the latest attack on Caitlin Clark. Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with another full edition of Morning Wire.

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