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5 min readLive from NPR News. I'm Dale Wilman. The Cottonwood Fire in Utah is continuing to gain strength at this hour. Officials say the blaze is now burning untracked across 100 square miles. State officials are now restricting the use of fireworks because of the extreme fire danger. That's just one of several developments in this Friday evening newscast, which also covers a mistrial in a high-profile arson case, a new push for church-state ties from a Trump administration commission, Democratic governors sending troops to D.C., U.S. military strikes on Iran, and the aftermath of devastating earthquakes in Venezuela.
Mistrial in Jonathan Render Connect Arson Case
The federal arson case against Jonathan Render Connect ended in a mistrial Friday. The jury was split, with ten members wanting to acquit Render Connect. One juror, Serena, who would not offer her last name, expressed frustration with the outcome. "It makes me sad as an American, like that, you know, we couldn't come to a conclusion," she said. "I honestly wish I could come back and do it, you know, because I wish we could have came to a conclusion." The fire killed twelve people. The mistrial means the case will likely need to be retried, leaving the victims' families and the community without a final verdict.
Trump Administration's Religious Liberty Commission Report
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:03) **Cottonwood Fire in Utah Continues to Grow** - The blaze is burning across 12 square miles, and state officials are restricting fireworks due to the fire risk.
- 2 (00:12) **Mistrial Declared in Jonathan Rinderconnect Federal Arson Case** - The jury split 10-2 in favor of acquittal; one juror expressed frustration over the lack of a conclusion. The fire killed twelve people.
- 3 (01:04) **Trump Administration's Religious Liberty Commission Report** - The commission calls for greater ties between church and state, recommending a legal framework and protections for healthcare workers who refuse procedures based on religious beliefs. Critics note the commission lacks religious diversity.
- 4 (01:44) **Democratic Governors Send National Guard to D.C. for America 250** - This is the first time Democrats have sent troops as part of the deployment. Officials say the troops are for crowd control during celebrations, not for President Trump's federal task force, though legal experts say the distinction is difficult to maintain.
- 5 (02:33) **U.S. Military Strikes Iran in Response to Drone Attack** - Central Command confirms strikes were launched after an Iranian drone attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
- 6 (02:58) **Search for Missing Continues After Venezuela Earthquakes** - Over 51,000 people are missing, and the death toll has risen to at least 920, expected to increase significantly. Citizens report little government assistance.
- 7 (03:35) **Fired NOAA Employees Launch Clone of Climate.gov** - After the original site was shut down and personnel fired during DOGE cutbacks, three former employees created climate.us to maintain public access to climate data and analysis.
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