Trump's Reflecting Pool Renovation Fails, Mirrors Iran War Hubris
Donald Trump's $14.2 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has failed, with algae returning within days, according to the Washington Post. The project, which involved painting the pool bottom blue and installing nanobubblers, was intended to fix the algae problem permanently. However, the pool turned green again soon after completion, with more algae than in any recorded point in June for at least five years.
Trump had boasted at events in April and May that he would clean the pool in two weeks, citing his experience building swimming pools. The renovation, awarded via a no-bid contract, was completed in about eight weeks. The Interior Department declared victory on X, claiming the nanobubbler technology killed the algae and comparing the dead algae to the destroyed Iranian Navy. But the algae persisted, and peeling paint was seen floating in the water.
Trump's Iran War Claims Unravel
The failed pool renovation parallels Trump's handling of the Iran war. After signing what Jimmy Kimmel called the 'retreaty of Versailles,' Trump told Axios he believes there are 'no limits' to his power. However, Iran is arguably stronger than before the war, according to analysts. Trump's unilateral declaration of victory ignores inconvenient facts, much like his pool project.
Other News: Meloni, Maternity Leave, HPV Vaccine
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni accused Trump of 'totally inventing' a story that she begged for a photo at a G7 summit. The Italian foreign minister cancelled a planned visit to the US. In Japan, Shoko Kawata, the youngest female mayor, sparked a national debate by taking maternity leave. She told the Guardian she hopes to implement systems supporting career and family balance.
A Cancer Research UK study found that HPV vaccines nearly eliminate the risk of dying from cervical cancer before age 30 for girls vaccinated at 12 or 13. Meanwhile, nearly 160 people fell sick with flu at a military base after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ended mandatory flu vaccines, citing bodily autonomy. Hegseth's pastor has opposed women's right to vote.
Feminism, Abortion, and Terrorism Ruling
Singer Shania Twain initially said she doesn't see herself as a feminist but later clarified she aligns with feminist values. Medication abortion was restored in Missouri after a legal battle. Four Palestine Action activists who smashed military equipment at an Israeli arms factory were sentenced as terrorists, a ruling lawyer Geoffrey Robertson says redefines civil disobedience as terrorism.
In a lighter note, a cat wandered onstage during a ballet performance of Romeo and Juliet in Turkey, sitting by the 'dead' Romeo.
