Washington, DC, will not simply celebrate Independence Day. It will become the symbolic stage for one of the most significant milestones in modern American history: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Washington, D.C
Giant pandas begin their journey to DC's National Zoo
Panda-monium is back! … Or at least, on the way. A pair of 3-year-old giant pandas have begun their journey to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., according to officials from the China Wildlife Conservation Society and Chinese state-owned media.
Bao Li and Qing Bao will arrive nearly a year after the zoo’s last three pandas left for China, leaving D.C. without pandas for the first time in more than two decades.
At the time, it wasn’t clear when — or if — D.C. would ever again be home to giant pandas, but it turned out we wouldn’t have to wait all that long. In May, officials announced that China planned to send a pair of young pandas, male Bao Li and female Qing Bao. But at the time, they didn’t provide an official arrival date.
On Sunday night, according to Chinese state-owned media, Bao Li and Qing Bao left the Dujiangyan base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in a special vehicle en route to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. They were set to then board a special flight to the D.C. area on Monday, according to the Chinese state-owned Xinhua News Agency, with a translation checked by NBC’s Peter Guo.
A spokesperson for the National Zoo declined to comment Monday, telling NBC: “For the safety of animals and staff, we are not able to confirm any details at this time. Thank you for your patience.”
The expected bundles of joy will come to the National Zoo under a 10-year breeding and research agreement between China and the U.S., the zoo has said.
Meet DC’s newest future residents: Giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao
Although the two were born in China, Bao Li (BOW-lee) has some major D.C. roots: He is the son of Bao Bao, who was born at the National Zoo in 2013. That makes him the grandchild of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, who lived at the Zoo for about 23 years before moving to China last November with their youngest offspring.
“The pandas’ arrival is not just an exciting event, but it’s proof positive of the success of our giant panda program,” National Zoo director Brandie Smith said when the plan was announced in May.
Roshan Patel, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Bao Li, whose name means “treasure” and “energetic” in Mandarin Chinese, was born Aug. 4, 2021, and lived at the Shenshuping Base in Wolong, China.
“Bao Li is just as handsome as his uncles, Tai Shan and Xiao Qi Ji,” Chinese ambassador Xie Feng said at a press conference in May, referring to two more of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian’s offspring, who were also born at the National Zoo. “I believe he is also excited for the upcoming trip from his hometown in Sichuan to D.C. to see the place where his family lived and get to know the friends here.”
As for Qing Bao (ching-BOW): “She is a star,” Xie said back in May. Qing Bao was made the ambassador of the ninth World Wildlife Day when she was a year old.
Qing Bao, whose name means “green” and “treasure,” was born Sept. 12, 2021, and lived at the Dujiangyan Base in Sichuan.
FedEx was expected to fly the new pair to the United States via its “Panda Express service.” Neither FedEx nor the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority provided public comment Monday.
The animals were expected to be quarantined for at least 30 days, and then allowed to settle in for a few weeks before the newly revamped panda exhibit opens to the public at the National Zoo.
“The public debut date will be announced as soon as the animal care team feels the bears are ready to meet visitors,” zoo officials previously said.
Under the new agreement, the National Zoo will pay $1 million per year to the China Wildlife Conservation Association to “support research and conservation efforts in China,” the zoo has said. That money does not come from federal funding, according to the zoo.
In May, the National Zoo said it was looking to raise $25 million to pay for renovations to the panda exhibit, upgrade the Giant Panda Cam, pay for costs of operating the panda exhibit and to support conservation efforts. It announced a $10 million donation from David Rubenstein last month.
The zoo said crews were also installing new climbing structures, water features and rockwork for exercise and play. A new ventilation system will improve air quality and temperature control, and the zoo also upgraded its smoke evacuation network to keep the pandas safer in an emergency, officials said.
Chinese ambassador Xie Feng revealed new details about the giant pandas coming to D.C.’s National Zoo.
China will retain ownership of the pandas, and any cubs must be returned to China by age 4 — similar to the previous agreement involving Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their offspring.
The Chinese ambassador hopes the agreement will bring joy to a new generation of families, he said in May.
“Over the past five decades, pandas have held a special place in the childhood memories of numerous Americans. Today, many of those happy kids have become grandpas and grandmas, dads and moms themselves. They look forward to taking their kids to the zoo to tell their stories with pandas and start new ones for their little boys and girls,” Xie said.
Giant pandas were a staple at D.C.’s National Zoo for over 50 years
The National Zoo’s longstanding resident pandas, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, departed D.C. last fall, along with their youngest offspring, Xiao Qi Ji, who was born at the zoo in 2020. The three went to new homes in the China Wildlife Conservation Association, leaving the National Zoo’s giant panda habitat vacant for the first time in decades.
Pandas first arrived at the National Zoo in the 1970s and evolved into D.C.’s unofficial mascots. The black-and-white bears appeared on Metro farecards and street signs and as statues around the District.
The panda conservation program flourished after Tian Tian and Mei Xiang arrived in D.C. in 2000. Mei Xiang gave birth to four surviving cubs. Tai Shan was born in 2005, but his birth was followed by a long dry spell before a crushing blow: A cub born in 2012 lived for just a week.
The following August, we got both hope and sadness: A squirming newborn arrived, along with a stillborn twin. But as D.C. held its collective breath, the living cub thrived. Bao Bao squawked adorably during vet exams captured on video, tumbled (safely — whew!) down a pile of rocks, and even prolonged the excitement when the National Zoo’s webcam went dark during a government shutdown. When the cams went live again, she had a new surprise: Her eyes had opened.
Maybe it was just us, but Bao Bao always seemed to know when to drum up some attention. She was the source of some adorable headlines. (Case in point: Mei Xiang Cuddles Cub Rather Than Snacking.) There was a paternity drama — was her biological father the zoo’s own Tian Tian, or another male panda whose sperm was also used in a fertility attempt? (Verdict: Tian Tian IS the father.) And just before Christmas 2014, Bao Bao spent 24 hours in a tree, diverting focus from holiday celebrations before she finally climbed down.
But after becoming a big sister, Bao Bao was ready to strike out on her own. She moved to China — taking a similar FedEx journey as the rest of her family members ultimately did — and became a mom herself.
Bao Bao’s birth at the National Zoo was followed by two surviving younger brothers: Bei Bei in 2017 (who was born with a twin who died days after birth) and Xiao Ji Qi, the first panda in the U.S. born after his mother was artificially inseminated with frozen, instead of fresh, semen.
The agreement to keep Tian Tian and Mei Xiang was extended several times. The panda program has always served as a gesture of friendship and a sort of soft diplomacy between China and the United States. The pullback of pandas from the National Zoo and other zoos in the United States initially sparked some concern. Currently, there are only four pandas in the country – all at Atlanta’s zoo.
But in February, news that China would send a new pair of giant pandas to the San Diego Zoo signaled the return of panda diplomacy. The pair arrived in June and, after a period of settling into their new habitat, made their public debut in San Diego last month.
Despite the links with U.S.-China diplomacy, negotiations regarding pandas are conducted among researchers and aren’t based in politics, Smith told News4 last summer.
“We’re a bunch of scientists; we’re a bunch of animal people,” Smith said. “This is not a political conversation. This is absolutely a conversation between colleagues talking about, what’s best for the overall program, and also, what can be best for individual animals?”
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WASHINGTON (7News) — Two men were injured in a shooting Saturday night in Northwest Washington, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Third District officers responded around 10:08 p.m. to the 900 block of Florida Avenue NW after receiving reports of a shooting.
ALSO SEE | Man dies after early-morning shooting in DC’s Shaw neighborhood
When officers arrived, they found two men suffering from gunshot wounds, police said.
D.C. Fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene and took both victims to hospitals for treatment. Authorities said the injuries were considered non-life-threatening.
Investigators have not released a description of any suspects, and no arrests have been announced as of Sunday.
READ ALSO | Suspect in Shaw Metro fatal shooting of AU grad appears in D.C. Superior Court
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the police at 202-727-9099 or submit anonymous tips by texting 50411.
Washington, D.C
Fourth of July 2026: Washington DC prepares for historic America250 milestone | The Jerusalem Post
As the Fourth of July approaches, one of America’s biggest celebrations ever is about to commence.
Across the capital, the familiar rhythm of the Fourth will transform into a citywide spectacle of history, patriotism, and celebration, reflecting the spirit of the official America250 theme: Celebrating a quarter of a millennium of the American spirit.
The heart of the festivities will unfold along the National Mall, where hundreds of thousands, and possibly more than a million visitors, are expected to gather for a full day of events under the banner of “Salute to America 250.”
Among the highlights will be the Great American State Fair, bringing together representations from across the country in a celebration of America’s diversity and identity, alongside an expanded National Independence Day Parade along Constitution Avenue. Military bands, ceremonial units, cultural delegations, and representatives connected to all 50 states are expected to transform downtown Washington into a moving portrait of America itself.
My visit to the capital, a few weeks ahead of the celebrations, was already emotional.
Mt. Vernon, the home and final resting place of America’s first president
At Mount Vernon, the home and final resting place of George Washington, America’s first president and founding hero, after whom the nearby capital was named, the approaching anniversary feels especially meaningful.
Each spring, the estate hosts its Revolutionary War Weekend, transforming the grounds into a living scene from the 1770s.
As I walk through the estate, hundreds of history enthusiasts from across the United States, most of them unpaid volunteers driven by a deep passion for preserving America’s story, march in period military uniforms while cannons thunder. A unique and original time-travel to America’s history.
Throughout Washington, banners and commemorative displays carrying the America250 branding already signal the approaching celebration. Washington reveals itself as a city of endless layers, where every corner seems to tell a different American story.
Georgetown blends old-world charm, university spirit, and timeless Washington character into one of the capital’s most picturesque neighborhoods. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum celebrates aviation pioneers, moon landings, spacecraft, and innovation.
A visit to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is equally essential, preserving memory and confronting humanity’s darkest chapter through powerful personal testimonies.
As night begins to fall, I join an intimate, organized mini-bus tour with a knowledgeable yet loquacious guide to discover Washington from a different perspective. One by one, the capital’s iconic memorials emerge from the darkness and become even more powerful after sunset, illuminated symbols of freedom, leadership, sacrifice, democracy, and the defining moments that shaped the American story.
The towering memorials to George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Martin Luther King Jr. stand alongside places of remembrance, including the Marine Corps War Memorial (better known as Iwo Jima), the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Together, they tell the story of a superpower that not only celebrates victory but remembers the cost behind it. At night, Washington feels less like a political capital and more like a vast open-air tribute to the ideals, struggles, and people that built the United States, grand, historic, and deeply symbolic.
One of America’s most fascinating hospitality landmarks, The Watergate Hotel
But my visit was also driven by another reason: the desire to explore one of America’s most fascinating hospitality landmarks, The Watergate Hotel. A place where political history, luxury hospitality, river views, and timeless Washington intrigue come together.
As a teenager, I admired President Richard Nixon for his support of Israel. Spending three nights at a hotel forever associated with the political drama that ended his presidency felt unexpectedly emotional.
The Watergate name became permanently etched into history after the Watergate scandal, the political break-in and cover-up that ultimately led to Nixon’s resignation in 1974.
The story later reached audiences worldwide through the acclaimed film All the President’s Men, which won four Academy Awards and starred Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman. A landmark motion picture that captured both the inquiry and the enduring power of investigative journalism.
One of the hotel’s most fascinating experiences is the so-called “Scandal Room.” Concierge Mesfin Asfaha takes me through a captivating presentation explaining how operatives tied to Nixon’s reelection campaign broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the neighboring office complex. While the break-in itself did not take place inside the hotel, the Watergate became forever linked to one of America’s defining political dramas.
Today, the room serves almost as a living museum, displaying posters, newspaper clippings, photographs, and memorabilia from that turbulent period. Apparently, the demand to stay overnight in the room is surprisingly high. Guests willingly sleep beside history.
The Watergate remains today one of Washington’s most elegant and sought-after luxury hotels. Our room was spacious and refined, with an open balcony overlooking the mighty Potomac River, arguably one of the finest hotel views in the American capital.
The hotel comes under new ownership
Yet the hotel’s own story after 1972 was far from simple. Following decades of changing fortunes and growing competition from newer luxury hotels, the property closed in 2007.
Its revival came when developer Euro Capital Properties, led by the Cohen family, acquired and reimagined the property. Reopened in 2016 after an extensive redesign, the vision was not to recreate the past but to restore the hotel’s status as one of Washington’s unique addresses, blending mid-century glamour with contemporary sophistication across 336 rooms, including 35 suites over 12 floors.
“Among our signature venues is our acclaimed rooftop, frequently ranked among the most impressive in the United States,” says managing director Dan Pimentel. The venue, Top of the Gate, feels like a stage suspended above the city. Panoramic views stretch across the Washington Monument, the Kennedy Center, the Potomac River, and the bridges leading into Virginia. Trust me, the view is magnificent.
“Looking ahead to the upcoming Fourth of July celebrations, Pimentel reveals that the hotel is preparing an exclusive rooftop event for approximately 400 guests, with prices beginning at $1,750 per person, including front-row views of the fireworks, accompanied by Dom Pérignon and caviar, all in a deliberately relaxed atmosphere without a formal dress code.
I was fortunate to experience the hotel during a quieter period. “During weekends,” explains Pimentel, “the atmosphere shifts noticeably as government offices slow down and diplomats, officials, and international visitors increasingly treat the hotel as a leisure destination rather than simply a business address.
“A phased renovation program is also underway, with completion expected by the end of the year. Yet even before the upgrades, America250 is already driving demand. During the celebration period, minimum stays are expected to reach three nights, with rates beginning around $1,000 per night,” he reveals.
An Israeli twist to this dramatic story
An Israeli twist adds to the story. While the iconic curved exterior remains faithful to the original 1960s architectural vision, the hotel’s contemporary revival introduced selected interior touches by Israeli designer Ron Arad, creating a dialogue between retro elegance and modern luxury.
That design language extends into Kingbird, the hotel’s signature restaurant. Breakfast here moves away from the familiar buffet format. Guests select each dish individually from a refined menu. Dinner, orchestrated by the talented chef Brad Deboy, becomes an exercise in understated fine dining.
At Kingbird, the Watergate feels less like a political landmark and more like a contemporary Washington salon, where diplomats, theatergoers, and travelers gather over handmade pasta, premium steaks, and long conversations while the Potomac glimmers quietly beyond the glass.
And as fireworks are about to explode above Washington and America marks 250 years of independence, the Watergate feels like more than a place to stay.
Once linked forever to one of America’s defining political chapters and now reborn as an iconic luxury address, it reminds visitors that even at such a festive anniversary, America’s story is never static.
On this extraordinary Fourth of July, the Watergate stands exactly where history and hospitality meet.
The writer is the Travel Flash Tips publisher.
Washington, D.C
Trump’s DC makeover frenzy bewilders locals and visitors: ‘It’s like we’re under occupation’
On the edge of Lafayette Square, a landmark park near the White House, a scuffed sign proclaimed: “We are making DC safe and beautiful.”
Julie, visiting Washington DC with her husband, Robert, to celebrate their recent marriage, was unconvinced. “The irony,” she said. “It’s neither safe, nor beautiful.”
A chain-link fence surrounded the square, closing the site off from the public as it underwent refurbishment on the orders of Donald Trump.
It is one of many locations across the city currently under renovation, or construction, as Trump tries to put his stamp on the capital in time for the US’s forthcoming 250th anniversary celebrations.
Local preservationists say Julie’s withering verdict is widely shared.
“It is a different city right now,” said Rebecca Miller, executive director of the DC Preservation League, a city heritage group. “There are visitors from out of town who are disappointed that they’re only here for a few days, and there’s so much construction going on at the moment.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for some people, and to have it marred down with not being able to access certain sites can be really disappointing.”
Among a flurry of expensive projects, the US president has ordered the East Wing of the White House demolished to make way for a massive ballroom. Recently disclosed figures reveal the work is projected to cost $600m, with half the bill footed by taxpayers, contradicting Trump’s claim that the price tag would be $400m and met by private donors.
The National Park Service has been restoring fountains across the city, too, making them flow once again in time for the country’s birthday.
The administration also commissioned a restoration of the reflecting pool on the National Mall, which links the Lincoln Memorial with the George Washington monument, to repair the effects of discoloring algae. And plans have been unveiled for a 250ft triumphal arch south of the Potomac River, near Arlington national cemetery, which critics say would transform Washington’s low-rise skyline for the worse.
A simple recitation of the projects does not convey the temporary air that this frenzy of renovations has bestowed upon a historic area that has long drawn tourists from across the world.
Until its recent completion, the reflecting pool was for weeks a site of frenetic activity from workers repainting and re-coating its surface. The view for visitors was obscured by a fence covered by black tarpaulin. (Upon completion of a project Trump said would turn the pool “American-flag blue”, algae turned the water green.)
The transitory aura is compounded by renovations on the neighboring Arlington Memorial Bridge, a neoclassical structure built in 1932 whose columns and gold statues are also covered by tarpaulin.
Nearby, two projects unconnected to the administration – a memorial to veterans of the 1990-1991 Gulf war, and the Potomac River tunnel project, an infrastructure scheme aimed at reducing sewage overflows – add to the building site atmosphere.
It is more intense still near the White House, which is overshadowed by a large crane.
In recent weeks, the area has resembled an exclusion zone, with extended areas previously open to the public – from the Ellipse south of the White House to Lafayette Square at the north and encompassing parts of Pennsylvania Avenue – sealed off.
Lafayette Square, a 7-acre site featuring fountains and statues of the heroes of the American revolution, forming part of the larger President’s Park, is subject to renovations carried out under a $17m contract awarded on a no-bids basis to Clark Construction, the same company undertaking the White House ballroom project.
Scenes of visitors – like Robert and Julie – squinting for a better view have become commonplace.
“Everything that I’ve seen is to honor Donald Trump, not America’s 250th anniversary,” said Robert, a retired US history professor at a private college in Brooklyn, who like Julie declined to provide a second name.
Trump’s claims of grandeur outstripped those of King George III, the British monarch at the time of the Declaration of Independence, Robert suggested. “We have the irony of a man who has the instincts of an absolute monarch presiding over the celebration of our separation from a constitutional monarch,” he said. “It’s quite something.”
A block away, on 17th Street, Norma Roth, a 62-year-old children’s book author from Tampa, gaped at scores of temporary toilets – known colloquially as “Porta Potties” – which were installed on the Ellipse for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on the White House’s South Lawn, which took place on 14 June, on Trump’s birthday.
“It’s so symbolic of what he’s doing to the country. It’s like he’s shitting all over our nation’s capital,” she said.
Wearing an “Elections Matter” T-shirt from a recent Bruce Springsteen concert, Roth called the exclusion area around the White House a denial of the free-speech values she taught her three children.
“They didn’t like George W Bush, but my husband and I explained to them what was meant by freedom: that you are allowed to protest and speak your mind,” she said. “So they stood in front of the White House and gave the thumbs down. You can’t do that now. It’s like we are under occupation.”
About a mile away, Mark, 68, a retired lawyer visiting Washington from his current home in Paris, took selfies at the reflecting pool, where he recalled being forced to stand during the 1976 bicentennial celebrations because of the vast crowds.
He voiced disappointment at the results of the recent work, costing $13.1m and leaving the surface water looking black under a slightly overcast light rather than the “American-flag blue” trumpeted by the president. “I don’t know if it’s a success or failure, but it doesn’t look as blue as I imagined,” he said.
Visitors were much rarer across the Potomac near the site of the proposed arch, which critics have dubbed the “Arc de Trump”, in mocking reference to Paris’s Arc de Triomphe.
Costing an estimated $100m, the arch would be built on a large roundabout that is now a busy traffic intersection. The few who passed expressed surprise and bemusement at the idea of the imposing structure.
Gabe Adame and his wife, Beth, both 43, from Corpus Christi in Texas and visiting the capital for the first time, reacted positively. “The whole area feels like a blank canvas and unfinished. It would be a good addition,” said Gabe, an instrumentation manager for an oil and natural gas company, who said he was a Trump supporter.
But Oliver, a 42-year-old worker for a nongovernment organization, said placing a towering structure at the gateway to the city could obscure more famous long-established landmarks. “I think it could be an obstruction to the main body of Washington, which is the George Washington monument,” he said. “The Lincoln Memorial has been with us for 150 years.”
That argument has been central to the objections of local heritage campaigners, who had until 15 June to make comment on the proposal under the planning schedule. “What is currently proposed does fundamentally cut off the sight line, unless you’re walking down the absolute center of Memorial Bridge,” said Miller, of the DC Preservation League.
About 600 letters of objection have been sent to the US Commission of Fine Arts, while congressional Democrats have introduced legislation to defund the project on the ground that it does not seek approval of Congress.
The White House argues that such approval is already granted under a 1925 report allowing for two 166-columns connected to the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
Miller dismissed that contention. “What they’re proposing is not the columns that were authorized for that design,” she said. “The columns [that were authorized] were on either side of the bridge, not on the traffic circle. It was designed in a very different way. That is not congressional authorization for them to build the arch.”
With large areas of the National Mall still cordoned off for the Great American State Fair, a 16-day exposition due to start on 25 June, Angie Clark, a molecular biologist from Salt Lake City visiting Washington for a scientific conference, complained of a “forbidding” atmosphere.
“I’ve been here many times before, and I have never imagined that I would be so completely locked out of everything,” she said. “It feels exclusive, and not in a good way. Maybe once the party starts up, it will be better.”
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