News Wrap: National Weather Service warns Americans of dangerous heat, humidity

John Yang:

Good evening. I'm John Yang. For millions of Americans across the south and west, it is a very hot 4 July weekend. The National Weather Service is warning of a dangerous combination of heat and humidity. For weeks, Texas has been the nation's hotspot.

But now that wet blanket of heat and humidity is moving east in places like Montgomery, Alabama, and Jackson, Mississippi, the high temperatures and high humidity made it feel like it was between 110 and 120 degrees.

On the streets of Nashville, tourists did not mince their words.

Woman:

Hot. Sorry.

Man:

Yeah.

Woman:

Fucking hot.

Man:

Humid. Yeah.

Woman:

Very humid. The humidity is what makes the difference because it just sticks to you.

John Yang:

Over Manhattan, it's been another day of haze and unhealthy air as smoke from Canada's wildfires linger. Conditions were much the same in New England and Michigan. Skies could clear tomorrow when rain is forecast to move in.

And among those dealing with all that heat and haze, a record number of Americans heading out of town for the holiday weekend. AAA predicts more than 50 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home. More than 43 million of them are projected to hit the highways, while another 4 million will fly. Those numbers would set new records for 4 July travel.

French president Emmanuel Macron has canceled a state visit to Germany after the fourth night of riots across France. Protesters set fires, turned vehicles over and looted businesses. Police said they made more than 1,300 arrests overnight. The protests were sparked by the police killing on Tuesday of a 17-year old boy of North African descent who's been identified only as Nahel.

The teen was buried today in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where he lived and where police shot him during a traffic stop. And in Hollywood, the actors union SAG AFTRA has agreed to keep talking with the major movie and television studios past last night's expiration of their contract. The union's agreement to extend the deal until July 12 averted, at least temporarily, a second Hollywood strike.

Screenwriters have been on strike since May. Currently negotiations between the Writers Guild and producers. More than 300 actors, including marquee names like Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Ben Stiller sent their union leaders a letter pressing them to negotiate for what they call a transformative deal rather than compromising too soon.

SAG AFTRA members have already authorized the leaders to call a strike. For both actors and writers, the shift to streaming has meant less work and less pay.

Still to come on PBS News Weekend, why the decline of a.m. radio is raising and a new film looks at Little Richards legendary life and rock and roll legacy.