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Listen Up: A Closer Look at the Top Stories for Thursday, July 5

Thursday, July 5, 2018 

Happy Thursday! That brutal heat wave we've been experiencing is finally over, but relief may still be a day or two away. Today will be another sweaty one, but highs will only reach the upper 80s. As always, get the latest forecast at nbcnewyork.com/weather.

1. 'Abolish ICE' Protester Goes Rogue, Climbs Statue of Liberty

A woman who climbed the Statue of Liberty after participating in an "Abolish ICE" protest has been captured after police attempted for hours to coax her down.

The woman, identified as 44-year-old Therese Patricia Okoumou of Staten Island, scaled the statue after protesters from Rise and Resist New York unfurled an "Abolish ICE" banner there; she made it to Lady Liberty's base.

Liberty Island, crowded with visitors on the July 4th holiday, was evacuated as police responded and attempted to coax her down.

The rescue was highly technical because of the slopes and angles around the base of the statue.

Okoumou is facing federal misdemeanor charges including trespassing, disorderly conduct and interfering with government functions, according to the National Park Service.

Read more here.

2. Hot Dog Champ Chestnut Breaks Record Amid Miscount Drama

It was a hot dog hot mess. 

The 2018 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog competition ended in drama, and a world record.

The original count for the men's competition had world champion Joey Chestnut as the winner, but found he'd fallen short of his record of 72 by at least 5 dogs. Turns out the initial count was wrong. ESPN is now reporting that Chestnut has in fact beaten his record, gobbling down 74 dogs. Second-place finisher Carmen Cincotti ate 64.

Meanwhile, Miki Sudo downed 37 franks to win her fifth straight title in the women’s competition of the annual Nathan’s Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest.

Read more here.

3. Giant Hogweed Plant in NY Can Cause Severe Burns, Blindness

There is a giant plant invaded New York and you don't want to get anywhere near it. 

It's called the Giant Hogweed. It's an invasive plant known to cause severe burns and blindness when its sap comes into contact with the skin or eyes, can be found in several active sites across New York.

They are very tall so they are hard to miss. 

Read more here.

4. Lyft Enters Bike-Sharing Biz, Buys Citi Bike Parent Company

So long, Citi Bike and hello Lyft Bike. 

The ride-hailing service announced earlier this week that it is buying the company that owns Citi Bike and will be changing the name. 

The deal puts Lyft in the same area with its biggest competitor, Uber, which just bought another bike share company called Jump.

Read more here.

For the latest entertainment news and things to do, tune in to New York Live, Monday through Friday at 11:30 a.m. on NBC 4 New York. 

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