In our news wrap Tuesday, South Carolina’s Senate rejected a push from President Trump to redraw its congressional maps to eliminate the state’s only majority-Black district, a federal court in Alabama is temporarily blocking a plan that would eliminate one of two majority-Black districts and Washington authorities say an undisclosed number of people died when a chemical tank imploded.
Geoff Bennett:
Two developments from the nation’s redistricting fight. South Carolina’s Senate rejected a push from President Trump to redraw its maps in a way that would have eliminated the state’s only majority-Black district, represented by longtime Democratic Congressman James Clyburn.
Some Republican lawmakers argued it was too late to enact new district lines with early primary voting starting today. And a federal court in Alabama is temporarily blocking a plan that would eliminate one of that state’s two majority-Black districts. For now, Alabama will use the same districts from the 2024 election, though the state’s Republican leaders are expected to appeal.
In Washington, state authorities say an undisclosed number of people died when a chemical tank imploded earlier today. At least 10 people were injured and others remain missing. Fire officials say that a tank containing a chemical solution that’s used in the paper-making process ruptured at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company. Authorities say some victims had suffered burns or inhalation injuries, but there is no immediate threat to the public.
Meantime, in California, emergency officials have lifted an evacuation order for thousands of people who live near a damaged chemical tank. They say temperatures have fallen enough to eliminate the risk of a major explosion, but they warn there’s still a chance for a smaller blast or a fire.
As a result of the decreased threat, authorities reduced the evacuation zone in the city of Garden Grove, saying it’s safe for about two-thirds of the affected residents there to return home.
Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, Orange County, California, Health Officer:
I want to reassure everyone who is in — outside of the new evacuation zone that, when you go home, you can feel safe. There was no contamination. There were no fumes. There were no vapors that came from this incident. There was no leak.
Geoff Bennett:
Despite the signs of progress, around 16,000 people are still not allowed to go home. Officials say they will keep monitoring the air and checking the sewer and storm drains in the coming months for any sign of contamination.
Well, there was a flurry of activity from the U.S. Supreme Court today. While there were no major rulings, the justices decided the fate of a handful of cases, including Florida’s attempt to sue California and Washington state over commercial licenses for drivers who don’t speak English and who entered the U.S. illegally.
The justices rejected the longshot bid, which stems from a crash in Florida last year that killed three people. They also sided with the Trump administration in a free speech case involving immigration judges and how they get approval for public speaking engagements.
They refused to intervene in a discrimination lawsuit brought by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores against the NFL. And they declined to hear a bid by Meta to a block of Vermont lawsuit accusing the tech company of harming young users.
In Western Europe, an early heat wave is shattering records and raising health concerns for millions across the region. For a second day in a row, the U.K. broke a century-old heat record for May, with temperatures topping 95 degrees Fahrenheit near London. Meantime, firefighters in Scotland have been battling a wildfire near Edinburgh.
British authorities say at least four people have died in drownings that may be connected to the heat. Similar fatalities have been reported in France, which also broke its heat record for may on Monday. Health officials there are warning people to take the heat seriously.
Stephanie Rist, French Health Minister (through interpreter):
You need to protect yourself from these heat waves, even if we’re starting to get used to them. Check on vulnerable people around you who might be less likely to think about drinking water. It’s a kind of general solidarity needed with this heat wave under way.
Geoff Bennett:
The unseasonal heat extends to the south as well, with tourists and locals braving high temperatures today in Rome, among other places. The heat there is expected to peak tomorrow before starting to cool off.
On Wall Street, today’s stocks ended mixed following the long holiday weekend. The Dow Jones industrial average slipped more than 100 points, but the Nasdaq surged around 300 points, so more than 1 percent. The S&P 500 also posted a solid gain.
And Clarence B. Jones has died. He was a lawyer and organizer during the civil rights movement of the 1960s and a close personal friend of Martin Luther King Jr. That’s Jones behind Dr. King in 1963. Jones helped plan the March on Washington that same year and drafted parts of the famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
In the first few paragraphs, Jones wrote that the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were a promissory note for future generations to cash in, words then delivered by Dr. King.
Martin Luther King III, Civil Rights Leader:
This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men, as well as white men, would be guaranteed to the inalienable rights of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Geoff Bennett:
Jones was the unsung hero behind a number of landmark civil rights events, which included a pivotal role in sneaking out Dr. King’s notes that later became his “Letter From Birmingham Jail.”
More than a half-a-century later, in 2024, Jones received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Clarence B. Jones 95 years old.
