Midday Roundup: Mother Emanuel holds Bible study one week after shooting

Laid to rest. Funeral services will be held today for two of the nine people killed last week when a gunman opened fire during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C. On Wednesday, thousands filed through the state Capitol rotunda to pay their last respects to the church’s pastor, Rev. Clementa Pinckney, who also was a state senator. While Pinckney’s body lay in state in Columbia, his parishioners planned to attend Bible study in the same room where he was killed. About 200 peopled filed into the basement space last night to pray and read Scripture. Pinckney’s funeral will be held tomorrow, and President Barack Obama will offer the eulogy.

Weapons debate. The Obama administration is under increasing fire from lawmakers from both parties to send offensive arms to Ukraine. The Ukrainian government has pleaded with Western allies to provide weapons to fight Russian-backed rebels. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., visited Kiev last week to meet with Ukrainian leaders. He had harsh words for the president’s policy of only non-lethal aid for Ukraine: “I can’t answer for the president of the United States except to say that I know that this is shameful, shameful, that we will not provide them with the weapons to defend themselves.” But Defense Secretary Ashton Carter—while visiting Estonia this week—said the U.S. response is designed to prevent the conflict from escalating: “We’re taking a strong but balanced strategic approach, an approach that seeks to ensure Russia cannot force anyone to turn toward the past, all the while, welcoming and encouraging Russia to turn back toward the future.” Russian President Vladimir Putin blames the conflict on U.S. meddling in Eastern Europe.

Down to the wire. Bipartisan opposition to the proposed deal with Iran over its nuclear program also remains strong. Lawmakers from both parties issued stern warnings to the Obama administration yesterday, just days ahead of the negotiations’ June 30 deadline. Under a bill passed last month, Congress has final say on the controversial deal, which would offer Iran sanctions relief in exchange for a 10-year pause in its nuclear operations. But on Tuesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Kahmenei said he would not allow inspectors onto Iranian military bases and refused to stop some nuclear work for a long period. The timing of sanctions relief remains a sticking point, with Congress insisting sanctions should not be lifted until Iran starts to comply with the deal and Kahmenei saying Iran should be free once it signs the agreement. “It would be better if there were encouraging statements coming out of Tehran,” said Rep. Eliot Engel, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “Then we would feel at least that maybe they do want to change their attitudes and maybe we should change some of our attitudes, too, but I haven’t seen it.”

Trade thumbs up. The Senate yesterday passed a so-called “fast track” trade authority for the White House. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the measure does not give President Barack Obama too much power over trade negotiations: “It will ensure we have the tools we need to properly scrutinize whatever trade agreements are ultimately negotiated. And it will make clear that the final say rests with us.” Obama successfully lobbied members of his own party to support the Senate bill. Just two weeks ago, House Democrats killed a similar measure, but Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has withdrawn her opposition to the bill, paving the way for another vote in the House.

Deadly heat. Morgues in Karachi, Pakistan, have run out of room as a deadly heat wave rolling over the country has claimed at least 1,000 lives. Power cuts that have left the city’s 2 million residents without air conditioning or fans have exacerbated the effects of the record-breaking weather. The timing has also been unfortunate. Muslims are celebrating Ramadan, when they do not eat or drink during daylight hours. Temperatures rose to 111 degrees Fahrenheit over the weekend, the hottest recorded since 1981.

Inside man. New York officials have arrested a second prison worker in connection with the escape earlier this month of two convicted murderers. Guard Gene Palmer, 57, has been charged with tampering with physical evidence and introducing dangerous contraband into the prison, both felonies, and a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct. Investigators allege he traded contraband items in exchange for paintings done by inmates Richard Matt and David Sweat. The men tunneled out of the Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate New York 20 days ago, using tools smuggled in with the help of another prison worker, Joyce Mitchell. The men are believed to have stolen weapons from a cabin in the woods near the prison after their escape.

WORLD Radio’s Jim Henry contributed to this report.