Morning News NOW Full Episode - July 20

[0:00] Developing right now on Morning News Now, tragedy and turmoil in the Middle East. [0:05] Overnight, the U.S. launching strikes against Iran for a ninth straight night [0:10] after an Iranian attack that killed at least two American troops. [0:15] Well, we feel very badly, but you know, those great people, those great patriots [0:20] are out there fighting that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. [0:24] Now, the expanded war renewing doubts for a peace deal with Tehran. [0:29] We'll bring you the latest. [0:30] Also developing wild weather sweeping across the U.S. over the weekend, [0:35] leaving entire neighborhoods flooded from Texas to New York. [0:39] And it's not over yet. [0:40] Right now, another severe storm system is taking aim at the Midwest, [0:45] plus tens of millions of Americans still under air quality alerts. [0:49] We're tracking it all. [0:51] False positive this morning. [0:53] The FDA walking back claims linking a massive parasite outbreak [0:57] to lettuce from a popular supplier. [1:00] But does that mean the greens are safe to eat? [1:03] More on the developments and what doctors want you to know. [1:07] And vamos España, Spain, celebrating being World Cup champions once again [1:12] after defeating Lionel Messi and Argentina with a goal in extra time. [1:18] We will have highlights from a thrilling end to an incredible tournament [1:21] and how it brought the world's love of soccer right here to the U.S.A. [1:26] Those photos right there, too, of the first ever World Cup halftime show. [1:29] Exactly. [1:29] So if you weren't into the soccer, maybe you were into the music. [1:32] I'm grateful it was a 3 p.m. Eastern start time. [1:35] So we got it all in. [1:36] Plenty of time to wind down last night. [1:37] It's so true. [1:38] And then talk about it this morning. [1:40] Good to have you with us. [1:40] I'm Joe Fryer. [1:41] And I'm Savannah Sellers. [1:42] Thank you for starting your week with us. [1:44] We're going to begin this hour in the Middle East, [1:46] where the conflict between the U.S. and Iran appears to be escalating. [1:49] U.S. Central Command says it completed a ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iran on Sunday, [1:55] targeting military command centers, air defenses, and missile and drone launch sites. [2:00] The ceasefire between the two sides now appears over, while the number of casualties climbs. [2:05] The Pentagon is now sharing the identities of the two U.S. service members [2:09] killed in the Iranian attack on Jordan on Friday. [2:12] They are 25-year-old Lieutenant Tyler James Fian and 19-year-old Private Isabella Gonzalez. [2:19] Yesterday, the U.S. military announced it recovered unidentified human remains [2:24] while searching for an American service member reported missing after that same attack. [2:29] CENTCOM also said another U.S. service member was killed in a separate incident in Iraq on Saturday. [2:35] That brings the total number of U.S. personnel killed in the months-long war to 17. [2:40] Colonel Steve Warren is standing by with analysis, but we begin with NBC's Alice Barr in Washington [2:46] with the latest details. [2:47] Alice, good morning. [2:49] Good morning, Joe and Savannah. [2:50] President Trump said the latest strikes against Iran were in honor of the fallen service members, [2:56] as he acknowledged that the mission has gotten larger than originally expected. [3:01] Overnight, a ninth straight night of U.S. strikes on Iranian military targets. [3:08] And as the war ramps up, so does its costs. [3:11] The U.S. military said Sunday it recovered remains while searching for an American service member [3:17] missing since an Iranian missile and drone attack in Jordan that killed two other U.S. service members on Friday. [3:24] The remains now being examined to determine if they match the missing. [3:29] We hit them very hard again tonight, and we did that in honor of the probably three, it's probably three, [3:36] as opposed to two great patriots. [3:39] Separately, U.S. Central Command said an American service member was killed Saturday in Iraq [3:45] during a controlled detonation of ordinance from a downed Iranian drone that hadn't initially exploded. [3:52] At least 17 U.S. service members have been killed since the war began nearly five months ago. [3:57] President Trump acknowledged this has become a bigger job than what he initially told the American people would take just a few weeks. [4:06] What we're doing now is we're ending any chance where they can have a nuclear missile. [4:11] If you look at it, after a week and a half, not four weeks, a week and a half, two weeks, [4:16] we stopped them from probably, but I don't want to have the word probably. [4:19] Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday night the U.S. is still open to negotiation, [4:26] but that the Iranians appear internally split. [4:29] They continue to send signals that they want to talk, that they want to negotiate, [4:33] but their behavior is what we're responding to, and their behavior is they're launching missiles and drones against ships, including tonight. [4:39] Adding that the U.S. will respond as long as Iran keeps trying to control the Strait of Hormuz. [4:45] Amid the renewed fighting, gas prices hit $4 a gallon on average nationwide again this morning. [4:53] While on another note, President Trump said the new Air Force One that was gifted by Qatar [4:57] will be sent back in for maxed-out upgrades following concerns about the plane's security systems [5:04] raised after the president unexpectedly took off in the NATO summit in Turkey in the old Air Force One, [5:10] just as hostilities with Iran were heating back up. [5:13] Joe and Savannah. [5:14] Alice, as for the deaths of these American service members over the weekend, [5:18] how does that change the picture of this war now nearly five months in? [5:23] Yeah, it certainly raises the pressure on President Trump, who's been trying to say that this war is winding down. [5:28] Difficult to say that when casualties are going the other direction. [5:32] And as he put it, the latest strikes are in honor of the latest fallen soldiers, [5:36] but lurking behind that wording is retaliation. [5:39] Is the U.S. going to step up more to retaliate? [5:42] The last cluster of American soldiers killed was back in March when the war was at a different phase. [5:48] And the more American service members we see dying, the more you wonder if you're headed back there. [5:55] Alice Barr in Washington. [5:56] Thank you. [5:57] For more on this, let's bring in NBC News military analyst Colonel Steve Warren. [6:00] Colonel, good morning. [6:01] So as the U.S. conducts these consecutive nights of strikes, [6:05] Iran has now expanded its retaliatory strikes to neighboring U.S. allies, [6:10] in part at least showing that they still have the capability to do so. [6:13] Do you see this expanding into a broader regional war? [6:17] I think we're very much at risk for this expanding into a broader war. [6:23] What we're seeing right now, you know, Alice recently just talked about how there's some pressure [6:28] on the commander-in-chief maybe to find a way out. [6:31] But simultaneously, I think the deaths of these, these tragic deaths of these service members [6:36] gives the commander-in-chief a little more space to increase the level of violence [6:42] that he brings to the table against Iran. [6:44] And we're starting to see that a little bit, expanded target sets, striking IRGC locations [6:50] as opposed to just striking radar sites, et cetera. [6:54] So at this point, I think we're sort of in a loop where this is going to continue to grow [6:59] before it begins to shrink again. [7:01] Colonel, let's talk more about that, targeting military infrastructure, [7:05] Central Command saying that's including also, what, command centers, air defenses. [7:09] What does that tell you about the U.S. strategy right now at this point in the war? [7:15] Right. [7:16] I think these last nine days began as a punishment strikes, as a series of punishment strikes [7:23] because Iran was targeting ships. [7:25] I think that has now grown a little bit to where these are now becoming pressure strikes, right? [7:31] We are trying to increase the pressure on Iran to get them to change their behavior, [7:37] to get them to stop striking ships in the, in the straits and to get them back to the negotiating table. [7:42] So this is slowly and steadily increasing. [7:45] And I think you're going to see that continue over the next few days as we expand these target lists, [7:51] begin to hit more military infrastructure. [7:54] Presumably, you know, we've already hit some bridges. [7:55] So that's dual-use infrastructure. [7:57] And I think you're going to concede, you're going to see that continue over the next several days. [8:02] Colonel, it's been more than a week since the U.S. began ramping up. [8:04] Its attacks against Iran does not appear, but that's slowing down anytime soon. [8:09] We also have the Strait of Hormuz as this continued major sticking point. [8:13] It actually saw traffic at its lowest level over the weekend in weeks. [8:17] What do you think it would take for both sides to de-escalate at this stage in the war? [8:22] Well, there has to be an incentive to de-escalate. [8:27] And at this point, there is no easily identified de-escalation incentive. [8:33] So what I predict we'll see right now, both sides are trying to pressure the other side [8:39] into, you know, crying uncle, essentially saying, okay, I'd like to de-escalate. [8:44] That hasn't happened yet. [8:45] We've seen the Iranians now that, you know, they've, they've, they've killed service members in Iraq. [8:49] In Jordan, they're sending missiles all throughout the region. [8:52] So the Iranians are escalating, trying to pressure the United States. [8:57] Simultaneously, the United States is escalating, trying to pressure the Iranians. [9:00] So right now, this is a punching match right now. [9:04] And we have to wait and see. [9:06] Eventually, something will emerge. [9:08] Not clear what that will be. [9:10] But I think we're in for several more days of these kind of intensifying strikes, Savannah, unfortunately. [9:14] All right, Colonel, good to see you, as always. [9:17] Thank you so much. [9:18] In political news, there are new developments in some key races that'll shape this year's midterms. [9:22] In Maine, former state Senate President Troy Jackson is now on track to become the Democratic [9:27] Party's pick to take on GOP Senator Susan Collins. [9:31] That is after all of Jackson's most prominent opponents dropped out of the contest over the weekend. [9:37] Here to talk about that and some other key races, NBC News political reporter Megan Brand. [9:41] Megan, good morning. [9:42] So how did we get to this point in the main race, which is moving rapidly? [9:46] And where does it go from here? [9:49] Hey, guys, good morning. [9:50] Yeah, over the weekend, we had four major Democratic candidates dropping out of the race. [9:55] It came as Democrats were electing delegates over the weekend that would later go on this [10:01] upcoming Saturday to vote for whoever would be Graham Platt and their successor. [10:05] So let me walk you guys through who exactly dropped out. [10:08] We had Maine Secretary of State Shanna Bellows. [10:11] We had Nirav Shah, who's the former director of Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, [10:16] former congressional staffer Jordan Wood, and Dan Kleban. [10:20] He is the co-founder of the Maine Beer Company. [10:24] Now, the dropouts came as Troy Jackson supporters won most of the delegate seats over the weekend. [10:30] So according to his campaign, Jackson supporters won 481 out of 500 delegate seats that were being voted on this past weekend. [10:40] So looking ahead next Saturday, that is when 601 delegates are going to vote on the next successor, [10:46] which appears now there appears to be a lot of support consolidating around Troy Jackson. [10:52] Now, while it seems that most of the delegates are Jackson supporters, they're not required to vote for Jackson. [10:59] But certainly right now there's a lot of support consolidating around him to be the person to face off against Senator Susan Collins in that must-watch race this fall. [11:09] It's going to be crucial for Democrats if they have a chance at ultimately flipping the Senate blue. [11:13] So, Megan, another race that we're following is in Michigan, the Democratic Party's biggest progressive figures. [11:20] They turned out over the weekend to support the Senate candidate, their doctor, Abdul El-Sayed. [11:24] Now, his main rival for the party's nomination is Representative Haley Stevens. [11:29] It's a contest that's shining a light really on campaign funding. [11:32] So tell us about that and what we heard over the weekend there. [11:34] Yeah, so over the weekend, you had two major progressives going to campaign with El-Sayed. [11:39] So you had Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. [11:45] They traveled to Michigan for that rally. [11:47] Now, they've all been critical of millions of dollars in spending on pro-Stevens ads, including—that's from outside groups, including a super PAC associated with AIPAC. [11:59] Now, as part of this campaign, too, support for Israel or criticism of support, financial support for Israel, [12:06] has become a major topic in this campaign. [12:09] So El-Sayed's been very critical of financial support for Israel. [12:13] Take a listen. [12:15] So it is time for us in this country to stand up and decide that we are no longer going to send unconditional foreign military aid to foreign governments. [12:26] Not Israel, not Egypt, not Jordan, not Saudi Arabia. [12:35] I want my tax dollars in Michigan. [12:38] I want good schools in Michigan. [12:40] I want good roads in Michigan. [12:42] I want health care in Michigan. [12:44] I want child care in Michigan. [12:45] I want my money spent in Michigan. [12:48] Steven supports a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians. [12:53] And she's also gotten some prominent endorsements as well, including from Senator Gary Peters. [12:58] He's the incumbent senator right now who's not running for re-election. [13:02] He's endorsed her to be his successor. [13:05] And also from senators, including Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, Senator Ruben Gallego, and Senator Chris Coons, guys. [13:12] Megan, while we have you on the Republican side, we're following the race to succeed the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, [13:18] who passed away just over a week ago. [13:20] What's the latest there? [13:21] Yeah, Congressman Ralph Norman announced in a Fox News interview that he plans to jump into the race. [13:27] Now, in that interview, he expressed support for President Trump's priority of the Save America Act, [13:33] which would reshape how elections are operated in the U.S., [13:36] though there's not enough support right now in the Senate for that to ultimately move forward. [13:41] He also expressed support for killing the filibuster as well. [13:45] Now, just a day earlier, though, President Trump had said that he endorsed Senator Darlene Graham. [13:52] That's Senator Lindsey Graham's sister, who is filling his seat for the remainder of his term. [13:56] President Trump said that he endorsed her to run for a full term. [14:01] Now, in that Fox News interview, Congressman Ralph Norman said that he spoke to President Trump to basically ask for his blessing in this race. [14:11] And he also said in that interview that if if Senator Darlene Graham does ultimately run for another term, [14:18] that still would not impact his decision to not run in the race, saying that he would still continue to run, guys. [14:25] All right. Megan Brand in Washington. [14:27] Megan, thank you. [14:28] Well, controversial social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate are in federal custody after U.S. officials arrested the brothers in Miami Saturday. [14:36] The arrests are connected to criminal cases in the United Kingdom, where authorities are seeking to extradite both men to face rape and other charges. [14:44] Andrew Tate now faces more than 30 counts stemming from alleged offenses between July of 2010 and August of 2017. [14:52] Those counts include rape, assault, sex trafficking and child pornography offenses. [14:57] His brother, Tristan Tate, also faces multiple counts, including rape, sex trafficking and sexual assault. [15:04] They both deny any wrongdoing. [15:07] NBC News legal analyst Danny Savalos joins us now from the U.K. with more. [15:10] Danny, good morning. [15:11] So British authorities are saying that these new charges followed the discovery of additional evidence. [15:16] What do we know about that and what led up to the arrests? [15:19] Well, according to what's been published by authorities here, the Bedfordshire police received a fresh file of new evidence, [15:26] new alleged victims or complainants bringing the number of complainants from three up to, I believe, seven and dramatically increasing the number of charges up to over 40. [15:36] So these are charges that initiated the U.S. Marshals Service to go out and initiate extradition proceedings. [15:45] So, Danny, the U.S. Marshals Service says the warrant remains sealed right now. [15:49] Why would details of the charges be kept under seal at this point? [15:53] The charges themselves are not under seal. [15:56] They are published on the website by law enforcement authorities here in the U.K. [16:00] But it's very common for the arrest warrant for the U.S. Marshals to be kept under seal because when you think about it, extradition often involves fugitives. [16:10] Fugitives are people who are avoiding justice. [16:12] So you don't want to telegraph that we're looking for fugitives by filing that in a court document. [16:18] So the charges themselves are known and public. [16:21] The actual arrest warrant for the marshal, it's routine for that to be sealed and then it will be unsealed at the first appearance. [16:28] It's kept sealed so you don't telegraph to fugitives to go and run and go hide somewhere else. [16:35] The brothers are now awaiting extradition proceedings in the U.S. [16:39] Is that a slam dunk? [16:40] Does that mean they will go to Britain to face trial? [16:44] Legally, it should be a slam dunk, but it likely won't be. [16:47] And here's why. [16:49] Extradition, at least international extradition, is the product of a treaty between the United States and whatever country is requesting it. [16:57] We have a treaty with the U.K. [16:58] It's a powerful treaty. [17:00] And, by the way, some countries will not extradite their own citizens. [17:04] Under the treaty, these folks can be extradited. [17:08] But here's where it's tricky. [17:11] If Andrew Tate has been a vocal supporter of President Trump, and there are a few ways the executive branch could slow down or even stop these proceedings. [17:20] Number one, the DOJ has to file a complaint. [17:24] It's just a formality, but they may choose not to or delay it. [17:28] Number two, ultimately, no matter what the judge does here in the states, the secretary of state has to sign and execute a warrant. [17:36] And that could die on the secretary of state's desk if the administration decides these are defendants that they want to prevent their extradition. [17:45] Now, I couldn't find an instance of this ever happening in history, but at least under the law, it's possible. [17:50] Beyond the potential politics of this, we should note that the Tates, they're dual citizens in the U.S. and the U.K. [17:57] What does that mean for extradition proceedings? [17:59] Could it complicate things at all? [18:02] No, that's least likely to complicate these proceedings. [18:04] Some countries are reluctant to hand over their own citizens. [18:08] The U.S. loves handing over their own citizens. [18:10] I'm saying that glibly because, really, we're very, very open to entering into extradition treaties with not just the U.K., but lots of countries. [18:19] So we will turn over our citizens if the criteria are met. [18:23] So, for example, if a foreign country has something outlawed that the United States would never make a crime, that might be grounds to refuse extradition. [18:32] But the mere fact that you hold a U.S. passport or are a dual citizen will not protect you like a force field from extradition proceedings. [18:42] Their better argument is that these charges are old and really a pitch to the administration to say, hey, you know, just slow this down and maybe throw up some roadblocks so we can stay here as long as possible. [18:54] All right. [18:54] Danny Savalos, thank you so much. [18:55] Much of the country is cleaning up this morning after a weekend of deadly storms. [19:00] Severe flooding created headaches out west here in the northeast and also in Texas Hill Country. [19:06] That's where at least two people were killed. [19:08] Experts say nearly a trillion gallons of rain has fallen in parts of the Lone Star State since last week. [19:15] Now, Governor Greg Abbott is issuing a major disaster declaration and is asking for federal help for some hard-hit areas. [19:21] Here in New York City, heavy rain flooded neighborhood streets. [19:25] Emergency crews had to rescue several drivers who got trapped after making that all-too-common mistake trying to drive through the floodwaters. [19:33] NBC News correspondent Valerie Castro has more. [19:36] Valerie, good morning. [19:38] There was no shortage of severe weather over the weekend with flash flooding claiming the lives of at least five people in Utah. [19:44] And now there is a tropical storm system brewing off of Florida's Gulf Coast. [19:50] Severe weather making a return, hammering parts of the southeast with wind gusts of up to 70 miles an hour. [19:56] As the northeast cleans up after rounds of storms pummeled the region Saturday. [20:03] Heavy rain flooding New York City streets and cars. [20:08] Bro, this is insane. [20:10] People trying to wade through knee-high water in Manhattan. [20:13] And concertgoers left disappointed after singer Noah Kahn canceled his first night at Citi Field, citing inclement weather. [20:20] I don't want a refund. [20:21] Two tornadoes touching down in Pennsylvania. [20:25] This video showing what appears to be a funnel cloud. [20:28] Trees coming down in the Baltimore area. [20:30] And a family in Maryland saying lightning started a fire at their home. [20:34] This all coming after days of dangerous weather. [20:38] Deadly flooding in Texas, Ohio, and in Utah. [20:41] Where a firefighter, his wife, and three of their children were found dead at a campground. [20:46] A lightning strike in that state also killing a hiker. [20:48] And in the Midwest, Canadian wildfire smoke still not easing up, where air quality remains at unhealthy levels. [20:56] Minneapolis, Detroit, and Chicago all ranking in the top ten of the worst air quality cities in the world. [21:02] That tropical depression is set to become Tropical Storm Bertha. [21:06] And Texas and Louisiana could see impacts from that later in the week. [21:10] Back to you. [21:11] All right, Valerie, thank you. [21:12] Let's get a closer look now at what to expect this week with your morning news now weather. [21:17] Meteorologist Andrea Romero is with us in studio. [21:19] Hey, Andrea, good morning. [21:20] Good morning, Joe and Savannah. [21:22] And we continue to monitor that growing threat basically that's impacting the Midwest and also the Great Lakes. [21:30] We can see here all these storms. [21:32] They're going to be moving through that region. [21:34] Today into tonight, we have this cold front that's going to be sweeping through, bringing that torrential rainfall and that severe weather threat. [21:42] So looking at the risks, we're talking about damaging hail, wind gusts of over 75 miles per hour, and a few strong tornadoes possible, [21:50] especially in this enhanced risk area, specifically over parts of Wisconsin. [21:55] Now that threat will move eastward tomorrow as the front targets the East Coast and the Ohio Valley. [22:02] Heavy rain could lead to flooding in some locations, and we could also have the risk of damaging hail, tornadoes. [22:09] But the main risk will be straight-line wind damage with gusts of over 75 miles per hour possible in this location. [22:16] So aside from the threat of the severe weather, we also have that heavy rainfall with locally up to three inches that could bring some flooding into many locations. [22:27] As far as the air quality alerts, 47 million people continue to be impacted here in parts of the Great Lakes and also the Midwest as well. [22:35] We're expecting that fire, that wildfire smoke to continue to impact that region. [22:39] But the good news is that although the air quality is still unhealthy, the numbers are a lot better than what we saw last week. [22:46] Some of these numbers were in the 700s. [22:48] Now they're in the 100s, 200s in Chicago. [22:51] We had 400, and now we're in, like, closer to 150. [22:55] Now here is tropical depression number two that we're monitoring here in the Gulf Coast. [23:01] Conditions are going to be deteriorating along the Florida panhandle today. [23:04] The system itself is 120 miles south of Panama City. [23:09] It's moving northwest at around 3 miles per hour. [23:13] It's sustained winds are 35 miles per hour. [23:16] So it's expected by this afternoon to become possibly Tropical Storm Bertha. [23:21] And we can see those tropical storm watches extending from the Florida panhandle into Alabama. [23:27] So this system will continue to organize over the Gulf. [23:30] Bands of rains will be hitting the Florida coast and will be meandering and gaining strength as it heads over towards Louisiana. [23:37] So we have a lot to track this week. [23:39] Back to you guys. [23:41] All right, Andrea, thank you so much. [23:43] Well, police are investigating a burglary scare at the home of NFL star Saquon Barkley. [23:47] Officials say Barkley and his family were all inside the house when the intruders broke in on Saturday. [23:53] No one was hurt, though. [23:54] It's the latest in a string of incidents where thieves target the homes of professional athletes. [24:00] NBC News national correspondent Morgan Chesky has the details. [24:04] A brazen break-in at the home of NFL star Saquon Barkley. [24:08] The suspect's gaining entry around 5 a.m. Saturday, while police say the Eagles running back and his family were all home. [24:14] All the occupants of the house were physically okay, obviously a little unsettled, as anybody would be, but no one was harmed. [24:22] Authorities say the individuals fled the location by the time officers arrived, and that it doesn't appear anything was taken from the residents, [24:29] adding they're now investigating whether this white SUV is tied to the burglars. [24:33] We know there's more than one, but we're still trying to determine how many were involved. [24:39] The incident appears to be the latest in a string of high-profile break-ins nationwide. [24:45] This 2024 surveillance footage shows thieves at NBA player Bobby Portis' house. [24:50] I had a home invasion, and they took most of my prized possessions. [24:53] Chilean authorities returning six watches to actor Keanu Reeves last year, [24:58] including one from the set of John Wick, with an inscription on the back. [25:02] After his own break-in, Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow isn't taking any chances with his coveted Heisman trophy. [25:08] I had it locked up in a safe place for all you robbers out there who weren't getting any ideas. [25:14] The NFL, NBA, and FBI have previously warned athletes to update security systems, install cameras, and keep valuables in a safe. [25:23] Much more to come here on Morning News Now. [25:25] Federal health officials now walking back tests that linked a parasite outbreak to a lettuce supplier. [25:32] What you need to know before you head to the grocery store. [25:35] But at first, a new era of leadership in the United Kingdom. [25:38] More on the country's new prime minister and the challenges he faces next. [25:42] We'll be right back. [25:50] We've got some breaking news out of the U.K. this morning. [25:52] The country is officially welcoming its seventh prime minister in just over a decade. [25:57] Newly appointed leader of the Labour Party, Andy Barnum, just met with King Charles in Buckingham Palace, [26:02] and is due to deliver his first speech as PM outside Downing Street shortly. [26:07] NBC News international correspondent Raf Sanchez joins us now from London. [26:11] So Raf, walk us through what has happened so far this morning and how is Burnham's meeting with the king? [26:18] Hey guys, good morning. [26:19] So it was all smiles from what we can tell from this photograph released by Buckingham Palace. [26:24] The king formally asking Andy Burnham to form a government to become prime minister. [26:29] Burnham accepting that, and we believe pretty soon he will be heading to Downing Street, not far from here, [26:35] where he will give his first speech as Britain's new leader. [26:39] Now this is becoming a pretty familiar routine for King Charles as this kind of revolving door of British prime ministers continues. [26:47] The king has been on the throne for just four years. [26:50] He is now dealing with his fourth prime minister. [26:53] And it is kind of interesting how these days work here in the U.K. [26:57] before he appoints the new prime minister, he accepts the resignation of the outgoing prime minister, [27:02] Keir Starmer in this case. [27:04] And so it can be kind of emotional for the outgoing leader. [27:07] They are losing the job that they have wanted for so long. [27:10] They have to go to the king. [27:12] They formally resign. [27:13] And then just an hour later, the king is dealing with the beaming new incoming leader, [27:18] full of hope, full of positivity. [27:20] By tradition, prime ministers do not talk about what they discuss with the monarch, guys. [27:27] So what can we expect, though, from Burnham's first speech as prime minister? [27:31] Do we think that his agenda is drastically different from former labor leader Keir Starmer? [27:39] So, Samana, as you say, these are two men who are both from the progressive labor party. [27:43] Burnham has signaled that he plans to be a little more left-wing than Starmer. [27:48] But he also is presenting a very different political style. [27:52] He's somebody who, when it's up to him, he wears T-shirts rather than suits. [27:57] He cultivates a kind of authentic man-of-the-people persona. [28:01] He is an absolute soccer fanatic. [28:04] We're told he's going to speak at Downing Street without a podium. [28:07] He wants to appear a little more spontaneous. [28:10] The question is, can he get the economy in this country going, [28:14] which is something that has bedeviled the last six prime ministers in this chaotic decade since Brexit? [28:21] Starmer won an election just two years ago with a massive landslide, [28:26] but then he ran straight into a lot of frustration among British voters [28:30] who felt that change wasn't happening fast enough, [28:32] and especially that the economy wasn't going fast enough. [28:36] Starmer, Burnham says that he is also going to try to move power [28:40] from here in London to other major cities like Manchester, where he was formerly mayor. [28:44] So, Raph, as a soccer fan, he's probably thrilled with Saturday's result over France. [28:49] But let's talk about relations between the U.K. and the U.S. [28:52] I mean, what does Burnham's leadership mean for those relations [28:55] and just dealings with President Trump, [28:57] since politically they are on very different ends of the spectrum? [29:00] Yeah, and Burnham has been quite critical of President Trump in the past, [29:06] over January 6th and other things. [29:08] He says that he wants good relations with the U.S., [29:11] but he's prepared to stand up to the president. [29:13] We had a chance to catch up with Sir Ben Bradshaw. [29:16] He's a former cabinet minister who served alongside Andy Burnham, [29:20] and we asked him what he thought the relationship with the president would look like. [29:23] Take a listen. [29:24] I think he will get on well with Donald Trump because he's a good conversationalist, [29:30] you know, and he's also very good at thinking on his feet. [29:33] I mean, the thing with Donald Trump is you never really know what he's going to say. [29:36] And sometimes if you're not a kind of flexible politician who can think on your feet, [29:40] you get it wrong. [29:41] He will be able to think on his feet and he'll be able to react [29:43] with whatever Donald Trump throws at him. [29:47] Now, Trump has also been quite critical of Burnham. [29:50] He dismissed him a couple of weeks ago as very liberal, [29:53] but he did find some kind words about the incoming British prime minister last night, [29:57] saying he believes it's a positive thing that Burnham is planning to open up [30:01] new oil drilling in the seas off of Scotland. [30:04] Guys. [30:05] All right. [30:05] Raph Sanchez. [30:06] Raph, thank you. [30:07] Well, the war between Russia and Ukraine is shaping the future of battlefield strategy [30:12] with its reliance on drone warfare. [30:14] Just last week, Russia said it shot down more than 200 Ukrainian drones [30:18] that were part of a barrage of strikes on Russian ships. [30:21] Well, now militaries around the world are taking notes, [30:23] including Taiwan, which fears an invasion from China. [30:27] The small island country has ramped up its drone production, [30:30] manufacturing thousands per month. [30:33] NBC News international correspondent Janice Mackey-Frayer explains. [30:36] In Russia's war with Ukraine, drones have transformed the battlefield. [30:43] Cheap to build and easy to fly, [30:45] they can hunt targets deep inside enemy territory [30:48] and attack with deadly effect. [30:50] And while it looks a lot like a video game, [30:56] this is the future of warfare, [30:58] unfolding in real time on the front line. [31:01] It's a military revolution being closely watched thousands of miles away in Taiwan, [31:06] where factories like this one near Taipei [31:08] are ramping up production of the sort of weapons [31:11] that could defend the island in a potential war with China. [31:15] We've seen drones in action in modern warfare. [31:19] The company, Thunder Tiger, got its start making remote-controlled toy cars, [31:25] but has pivoted to first-person-viewed drones [31:27] and unmanned sea vessels capable of carrying explosives across water. [31:32] We have the capacity and the capability to set up our own fortress, [31:39] you know, the manufacturing fortress here. [31:41] And best of all, it's non-red. [31:43] Non-red, meaning drones and parts here, [31:45] are not coming through Chinese supply chains. [31:48] Instead, Thunder Tiger builds its own components like motors. [31:52] So how many pieces a day? [31:53] There's about a thousand pieces per day. [31:55] The motors made here end up on drones like this. [31:59] This is an attack drone. [32:00] And this one company is making $2,000 a month. [32:04] Taiwan's government has committed $1.4 billion [32:07] to procure nearly 100,000 drones by 2028, [32:12] about half for the military, [32:14] as it builds a homegrown drone industry free of Chinese parts. [32:18] You want to shift from foreign military sales, [32:20] which take a long time to deliver, [32:21] to direct commercial sales, [32:22] which are dual-use kind of technologies that can deliver faster. [32:26] Yet production is not nearly enough for what Taiwan is up against. [32:30] Across the Taiwan Strait, [32:33] China's People's Liberation Army boasts hundreds of stealth fighter jets, [32:37] high-tech missile systems, [32:39] an expanding fleet, [32:41] and a leader who has made no secret of his ambition [32:45] to unify Taiwan with the mainland by force if need be. [32:49] We have 100% confidence in our readiness, [32:53] new equipment and strategy, [32:55] this Taiwanese colonel told us last year. [32:58] With Chinese military activity around the self-governed island, [33:02] including amphibious landing drills in the Taiwan Strait, [33:06] there is a race to overhaul Taiwan's defenses, [33:10] not only with billions of dollars in U.S. arms deals [33:13] for advanced missiles and upgraded fighter jets, [33:15] but low-cost, expendable drones to power a next-level asymmetric strategy. [33:22] Not unlike how Iran used drones and other small munitions in the Strait of Hormuz. [33:28] It's what U.S. defense experts call a hellscape, [33:32] swarms of drone and mine defenses around Taiwan to defeat a Chinese invasion. [33:38] The idea here with the hellscape is to make Taiwan look so prickly [33:44] or so difficult to invade that China decides that it's not worth it. [33:49] How far out is Taiwan from being able to realize this strategy? [33:54] It really depends on money. [33:56] If you have enough of them and can use them well, [33:59] you can actually create a lot of chaos [34:03] and make it really, really difficult for China. [34:05] The challenge for Taiwan's defense industry is scaling up [34:09] and training soldiers to use them. [34:12] China also isn't standing still. [34:15] Its military parade last year showcasing deep investment [34:18] in drones, lasers and hypersonic missiles. [34:23] The PLA splashing videos across social media [34:26] of what a future conflict with China could hold [34:30] in a drone production industry that it dominates. [34:33] Taiwanese companies are now exporting drone systems [34:38] and components to Europe, promoting their technology [34:41] at a defense expo in Poland. [34:43] They're also building commercial partnerships [34:45] with Ukrainian organizations, combining Taiwan's manufacturing edge [34:50] with Ukraine's battlefield experience. [34:53] Technology forged by one war, shaping how another may play out. [34:58] Janice McEsprayor, NBC News, Taichung, Taiwan. [35:02] Coming up, major developments in a nationwide parasite outbreak [35:06] that sickened thousands of people. [35:08] The FDA now saying tests that linked it to a lettuce supplier [35:12] were a false positive. [35:14] So what does that mean for you? [35:16] Our Dr. Sayal is here to explain next on Morning News Now. [35:22] We're back now with an important update [35:24] on the cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce. [35:27] Well, the FDA now says a Taylor Farms lettuce sample [35:30] that initially tested positive for cyclospora [35:33] was actually a false positive [35:35] after experts at the lab re-examined the results. [35:39] The company's voluntary recall does still remain in effect [35:42] as grocers and retailers raced to pull potentially affected lettuce [35:45] off shelves over the weekend. [35:47] The recalled products were distributed to 27 states. [35:51] Now, the FDA says there are currently no confirmed positive product samples [35:54] as the outbreak investigation continues. [35:57] For more on this outbreak, we're joined now by NBC News medical reporter, Dr. Akshay Sayal. [36:01] Dr. Sayal, good morning. [36:02] Great to see you. [36:03] I think a lot of people are wondering just like, [36:05] how does a false positive here even happen? [36:07] Yeah, so it's a great question, Savannah. [36:09] Good morning, guys. [36:09] You know, the false positive, for those who don't know in medicine, [36:12] false positive means that a test comes back as positive [36:14] despite the condition or disease not actually being there. [36:17] So in this case, what we saw is that, you know, [36:19] the FDA did some testing on Saturday, [36:21] suggested that there may have been cyclospora in this lettuce from Taylor Farms, [36:24] and they seem to have done some sort of confirmatory testing [36:27] or sort of re-looked at the test and decided, you know what, [36:29] hey, that was a false positive. [36:30] It's not actually there. [36:32] And so, you know, when we talk about these test guys, [36:34] what they do is they amplify tiny little bits of genetic material. [36:37] So they take the DNA or the RNA from the sample [36:40] and they sort of blow it up so it's easier to detect. [36:42] But sometimes, because these tests are so sensitive, [36:45] they can produce false positives and they need to be confirmed. [36:48] You know, false positives in medicine can happen all the time [36:50] with COVID tests, with things like mammograms. [36:52] So it's not uncommon to see. [36:54] So not terribly surprising. [36:55] Let's take a look at the numbers here. [36:56] The CDC data says we're at, what, 7,000 cases either confirmed [37:00] or under investigation. [37:01] That spans across 34 states at this point. [37:04] Help us understand why in these situations it is so difficult to pinpoint [37:08] what the actual source of the outbreak is, [37:10] why it's taking so long since these numbers, [37:12] they date back to May 1st. [37:14] Yeah, you know, Joe, I think the big thing is the incubation period. [37:17] So what that means is, you know, the time you're exposed to something, [37:20] to the time you actually develop symptoms, [37:22] sort of the incubation period of the parasite is up to two weeks. [37:25] Meaning that, you know, I mean, think about it. [37:26] Do you remember what you even had for breakfast yesterday? [37:28] Because sometimes I do. [37:30] And so when investigators are asking people to trace back [37:32] two weeks' worth of data to every single thing. [37:34] I mean, no way. [37:34] Yeah, no way. [37:35] No way I could do that right now. [37:37] And so that's what makes this a little bit challenging. [37:38] And so for people out there who are watching, [37:41] who are having these symptoms, you know, [37:42] just be mindful that it could take up to two weeks for it to show. [37:45] And that's what makes it so hard to trace back, [37:47] is doing all of that data retroactively. [37:49] So where are we at with lettuce? [37:50] Are we eating it? [37:51] Is it safe? [37:52] We were just talking before the show. [37:54] You know, I am still eating lettuce, but I am minimizing it. [37:57] I am going for cooked options. [37:58] And for those who don't know, you know, [37:59] it's best to avoid bagged lettuce. [38:01] Always get the whole head of lettuce. [38:03] Shave off the outer two layers and wash it very, very thoroughly. [38:06] We don't need to stop eating all fruits and vegetables, right? [38:08] I mean, there's one extreme where people are doing that. [38:11] There's the other extreme on TikTok. [38:12] I don't know if you guys have seen this, [38:13] but people are trying to get the parasite as a sort of ozempic to lose weight. [38:17] And please, you know, no on both fronts. [38:19] So there is a way to do this safely. [38:21] We don't need to stop eating all fruits and vegetables. [38:23] But please, please prepare them properly. [38:25] It's not just cyclospora, right? [38:26] It's equalized, salmonella, all sorts of things to watch for. [38:29] And those TikTok people talk to someone [38:31] or hear from someone who's experienced cyclospora [38:33] you might not actually want to put yourself through with. [38:35] The internet is something. [38:36] It's hard because we don't know the source of this, [38:39] but then do we have to worry about cross-contamination [38:41] at stores or restaurants as well? [38:44] How do we kind of wrestle with that? [38:45] Yeah, you know, it's always a risk, Joe. [38:47] With things like cyclospora or other foodborne illnesses, [38:50] there is always that risk. [38:51] And there's a reason, you know, [38:51] those health department ratings are always displayed right out front. [38:54] But I would say, you know, for people looking to minimize things [38:57] and sort of reduce their risk overall but not stop enjoying food, [39:01] you know, go for cooked fruits and vegetables when you can. [39:03] It's 160 degrees is really the only surefire way to kill the parasites. [39:07] What is the temp? [39:08] 158 to 160 degrees. [39:10] Yeah. [39:10] So, for example, if you're eating a bag of spinach, [39:12] you know, saute it on the stove and cook it just to be safe. [39:15] Other things that have been linked to this, you know, [39:17] cilantro, raspberries, snow peas, [39:19] all sorts of fruits and vegetables that have linked to this outbreak in the past. [39:22] So things you may want to just be a little bit careful, [39:25] especially around right now. [39:26] All right. [39:27] Dr. Stile, thanks as always. [39:29] Let's end this hour by introducing you to the Utah family [39:31] who've turned their love of the outdoors [39:33] into the ultimate hiking adventure. [39:35] Together, they set a lofty goal that took them all over the U.S. [39:39] Alex Cabrero from our Salt Lake City affiliate [39:41] takes us along for their journey. [39:45] They've got the magnets, the stickers, [39:47] and every Junior Ranger badge along the way. [39:50] What's that other park that's there? [39:52] But Jake Moon will tell you the goal was something you can't put on a board. [39:56] It's become like this goal together that we all wanted to achieve, [39:59] and all of our kids were involved in it, lots of time on the road. [40:03] That goal started back in 2017 when their oldest son, Carson, was in fourth grade, [40:08] which meant free passes to America's national parks. [40:11] So we had two years where we had two fourth graders, [40:15] and so in those two years, we just said, well, let's do this. [40:18] They started with Capitol Reef, [40:20] and in those two years, they visited 23 national parks. [40:24] We were like, well, we're like kind of halfway there. [40:27] We might as well just keep doing this. [40:28] It became a family goal to visit the mall, [40:31] though he'll admit he had no idea what it would take. [40:34] Not at all. [40:35] No, like it's easy to go to, you know, there's a lot in Utah, [40:38] there's a lot in California. [40:39] You can get to Grand Canyon and just, you know, relatively short drive. [40:43] But then you start looking at, oh, we got to go to Alaska, [40:46] and there's eight in Alaska. [40:48] Some parks up there met bush planes because there are no roads to get in. [40:54] But through the boat rides, hikes, and countless hours on the road, [40:58] Can we go to the next one? [40:59] they did whatever it took to finish. [41:02] And just last month was park number 63, American Samoa, mission accomplished. [41:07] They have a little bit of a special thing that they have, like, a certificate they give you there [41:11] because so many people end in American Samoa. [41:13] This journey brought them to amazing waterfalls, to unbelievable wildlife, [41:19] and to all kinds of scenery showing how beautiful America truly is. [41:25] But I think it's awesome to just see all of the different places around the country. [41:28] And at the end, it turns out the greatest thing they brought home wasn't another sticker. [41:33] It was the decade of trips together. [41:36] You have so much time together that, you know, it just became like a family adventure. [41:42] Oh, our thanks to Alex Cabrero for that story. [41:44] Well, the family's next goal, they're going to visit all 50 states. [41:46] Which I have to imagine, they've checked a few off already. [41:48] No kidding. [41:49] I feel like they should get more than a certificate. [41:51] But they have the memories, so that's the most important thing. [41:54] All right, that's going to do it for this hour of Morning News Now. [41:56] Stay with us, though. The news continues right now. [41:58] And thank you for kicking off your work week with us. I'm Savannah Sellers. [42:15] I'm Joe Fryer. Right now on Morning News Now, harder to breathe. [42:19] Wildfire smoke across the upper Midwest not letting up. [42:23] Tens of millions facing suffocating air quality alerts. [42:27] Well, a weekend washout brought more devastating floods to hard-hit Texas, [42:32] even slamming New York, canceling major concerts here. [42:35] So what's your week going to look like? We've got your full forecast in a moment. [42:40] Fire and fury, both in the Middle East and back here at home. [42:44] U.S. Central Command touting another consecutive night of attacks against Iran. [42:48] Casualties, though, now rising. [42:51] The Pentagon saying multiple American service members confirmed killed in separate strikes. [42:57] We're on the ground with the global fallout as gas prices stateside once again start to tick back up. [43:03] Plus, a new leaf on the investigation over where exactly that nasty cyclospora illness actually grew its roots. [43:11] Walmart now pulling some lettuce-laden products from its shelves. [43:16] That's even after the FDA said the Taylor Farm sample yielded a false positive. [43:21] So where does the federal government go from here? [43:23] We've got the latest in a moment. [43:25] And later in the hour, the world reacts to the new kings of the beautiful game. [43:31] A Spanish stunner in extra time, sending Lionel Messi and crew home to Argentina empty-handed [43:38] with sparks, even a player or two sent flying all along the way. [43:44] No surprise, it was a passionate final. [43:46] No kidding. [43:47] That went down to extra time. [43:48] Oh, a lot of emotion, yeah. [43:49] We'll dig into it in a little bit. [43:50] Let's start this hour with another round of severe weather cutting across the country. [43:55] In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has issued a major disaster declaration. [43:59] He's also asking for federal help after the state had nearly a trillion gallons of rainfall just over the past week. [44:07] The flooding is blamed for the deaths of at least two people in the Hill Country. [44:11] And here in New York City, people are cleaning up after a severe round of flash flooding, [44:16] washed-out streets and flooded cars over the weekend. [44:19] The fire department had its hands full rescuing drivers who got stuck [44:24] after trying to go through those flooded streets. [44:26] Meanwhile, across the Midwest and Great Lakes, 47 million people from eastern Minnesota to western Pennsylvania [44:32] are under air quality alerts this morning because of those wildfires burning up in Canada [44:38] and blanketing the region in thick smoke. [44:41] NBC News correspondent Maggie Vespa is in Chicago. [44:44] That's one of those cities dealing with that smoke. [44:45] She joins us with the latest. [44:46] Maggie, good morning. [44:49] Hey, guys, good morning. [44:50] Yeah, quite the mixed bag this morning, but we'll start here in Chicago. [44:52] And if you didn't know any better, you might think this was like some beautiful morning fog rolling in off of Lake Michigan. [44:58] But no, no. [44:58] Once again, it is Canadian wildfire smoke blanketing the city's skyline. [45:03] We got a brief break from it on Saturday when the smoke kind of cleared out. [45:06] And then we had another round of this toxic haze move in yesterday around the same time [45:11] that dangerous storms were firing up across much of the country. [45:14] Overnight, a relentless run of severe summer weather continues with millions across North Carolina [45:22] and Virginia pounded by heavy rain. [45:24] So much water coming out. [45:26] The rain is insane. [45:29] While out west, flash flooding sweeping across this Utah highway. [45:33] In just minutes, a wall of water overtaking homes and buildings. [45:38] It follows a weekend of wild storms across the U.S. [45:42] In New York City Saturday, fast-rising floodwaters swallowing subway stations underground and streets above, [45:52] even stranding two men on this box truck. [45:56] First responders eventually guiding them to safety, walking on that narrow ledge. [46:01] Meanwhile, this Maryland home's roof caught fire after neighbors say it was struck by lightning. [46:07] It sounded like people were throwing stones by the handfuls at my windows. [46:10] The storm's causing major flight delays and cancellations. [46:15] This is crazy. [46:17] And turning deadly in Ohio, where authorities say at least one person was killed while dozens were rescued from the water. [46:24] I had my three-year-old son in the back. [46:26] Meanwhile, several major cities spending days under the haze of Canadian wildfire smoke. [46:31] This was New Jersey's MetLife Stadium Saturday, just 24 hours before Sunday's World Cup final, [46:38] when conditions thankfully improved. [46:40] And Chicago's air quality deemed unhealthy again today. [46:44] I hope it goes away sooner than later. [46:46] And to that end, air quality alerts here in Chicago in effect throughout the day today, [46:50] with experts just recommending people limit their outdoor activities as much as possible, guys. [46:55] All right, Maggie, stay safe. Thank you so much. [46:57] So what is in store this week? [46:59] Time for your morning news now weather. [47:01] Meteorologist Andrea Romero joins us. [47:03] Andrea, good morning. [47:04] Good morning, Joe and Savannah. [47:05] The threat of severe weather will continue this week for parts of the Midwest, the Great Lakes, [47:11] and even into the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic. [47:14] So today and tonight, we have this cold front that's going to be sweeping through the Midwest, [47:18] bringing those torrential rain and severe weather to this whole area, [47:22] which is under this enhanced risk of severe weather, especially over parts of Wisconsin, [47:27] where we can see a few strong isolated tornadoes as the storm system moves through. [47:33] We can also be dealing with damaging hail and wind gusts of over 75 miles per hour. [47:38] The front will target the East Coast and the Ohio Valley into tomorrow, [47:44] where heavy rain could lead to flooding. [47:46] So those are the concerns with the severe weather, [47:48] as we are also expecting strong gusty winds of 75 miles per hour, [47:55] which can cause damage in those areas. [47:57] Now, as far as those air quality alerts, 47 million people are being impacted here, [48:02] also in the same region of the Midwest and the Great Lakes. [48:05] And the air quality is unhealthy for many areas. [48:09] The good news, though, is not as bad as it was last week. [48:13] We had numbers in the 700s in parts of Minnesota. [48:16] We're down to the 100s in Duluth. [48:19] Even in Chicago, we can see those hazy skies right now. [48:23] We're at 147, which is deemed unhealthy. [48:26] But those numbers are a far cry from those 400 levels that we had last week. [48:33] Now, here's tropical depression, too. [48:35] Yes, we are tracking a tropical system in the Gulf Coast [48:38] that could possibly become this afternoon tropical storm Bertha. [48:43] Right now, the center of the system is located around 110 miles south of Panama City, Florida. [48:49] Conditions are beginning to deteriorate in this area with those outer bands [48:53] starting to bring rain into the area. [48:55] Winds are sustained at 35 miles per hour and are expected to strengthen [48:59] as the storm strengthens as it moves parallel to the Gulf Coast. [49:03] It's moving at a very slow pace, 3 miles per hour, so we'll gain strength as it moves along this area. [49:09] We have tropical storm watches up all the way from the western Florida panhandle [49:15] into the Mississippi-Alabama border. [49:17] And that's where we're expecting the worst of the conditions today into tomorrow [49:21] as the storm intensifies and then possibly moves over New Orleans [49:24] and even brings some conditions into Texas. [49:28] We're looking at wind gusts of around 50 miles, [49:31] or sustained winds of around 50 miles per hour as the maximum level for this system. [49:36] We are also looking at locally up to 6 inches of rainfall, flash flooding, [49:40] especially in urban areas along this whole area, [49:42] especially from Cross City into Tallahassee and Port St. Joe. [49:46] And in addition to this, we are also expecting some of that tidal flooding [49:52] and also that storm surge that can lead to levels 1 to 3 feet above average. [49:56] We also have 70 million people being impacted by the heat. [50:00] That's extending over here from the northern plains into the Mississippi and Tennessee valleys. [50:06] We are looking at temperatures that are like 5 to 15 degrees above average, [50:10] and the steam and this heat will continue through tomorrow. [50:13] That's about it as far as the weather. [50:14] Back to you guys. [50:16] All right, Andrea, thank you. [50:17] Well, in the Middle East, the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran [50:20] appears to be over as the number of casualties climbs. [50:23] Earlier this morning, the Pentagon shared the identities of the two U.S. service members [50:27] killed in an Iranian attack on Jordan over the weekend. [50:31] The U.S. military also said a third U.S. service member was killed in a separate strike in Iraq, [50:36] but they have not yet been publicly identified. [50:39] Meanwhile, the U.S. is showing no signs of de-escalating the conflict. [50:43] CENTCOM says it completed a ninth consecutive night of strikes on Iran yesterday. [50:49] NBC News Chief International Correspondent Keir Simmons is in Jordan with the latest. [50:52] Keir, good morning. [50:54] Hey there. [50:56] Hey there, good morning to you. [50:57] And those details from U.S. central command of those U.S. service members who were killed [51:02] here in Jordan reveal that they died on separate days, on Friday and on Saturday, and that one [51:09] of them was a 19-year-old female private from Texas. [51:16] There has been a bombardment from Iran here. [51:20] NBC News has assessed that there were 28 missile interceptions here in the days around that fatal [51:29] attack, five waves of missiles and drones in as many days. [51:36] Missiles intercepted, then an explosion. [51:41] New video showing a fireball erupting at an air base here in Jordan where multiple Americans [51:46] were killed. [51:47] It's not clear if the video shows those fatal attacks. [51:50] An alert is heard in another recording from the strategically crucial air base. [51:56] U.S. central command saying that two U.S. troops lost their lives in attacks this weekend, identifying [52:03] them as 25-year-old first lieutenant Tyler James Feehan and 19-year-old private Isabella [52:09] Gonzalez. [52:10] The military also saying that unidentified remains have now been found of a third person at the [52:15] site. [52:16] CENTCOM vowing swift punishment, releasing video of its escalating operation on the ninth night [52:23] of strikes since conflict resumed. [52:25] We hit them very hard again tonight, and we did that in honor of the probably three, it's [52:31] probably three, as opposed to two, great patriots. [52:36] And in northern Iraq, where Iranian strikes hit near a U.S. base, CENTCOM announcing another [52:41] American fatality during the controlled detonation of an Iranian drone. [52:46] The number of U.S. dead since the start of the war, now at least 17. [52:51] We feel very badly, but, you know, those great people, those great patriots were out there [52:56] fighting that Iran did not have a nuclear weapon. [52:59] Here in Jordan, air raid sirens, Iranian missiles and drones unrelenting. [53:05] They are all fighting. [53:07] They're all fighting. [53:08] It's escalating. [53:09] Exactly, yeah. [53:10] Does that worry you? [53:12] Yeah. [53:13] For sure. [53:15] Civilian targets increasingly struck in this war, Iran hitting a water plant in Kuwait. [53:20] The victims hospitalised. [53:23] While in the Strait of Hormuz, a monitoring organisation says another vessel has been hit [53:27] and abandoned this morning, as the war is seemingly escalating again throughout the region. [53:35] And there are glimmers of diplomacy. [53:39] Iran's foreign ministry, for example, this morning saying that talks are possible, but [53:45] underscoring the challenge for the U.S. team in negotiating with Iran. [53:51] Iran's foreign minister, over the weekend, admitting that he currently does not have [53:56] face-to-face conversations with the ultimate decision-maker in Iran, the supreme leader. [54:03] All right, Kir, thank you. [54:04] Now, the conflict overseas is once again hurting wallets here in the U.S. [54:08] Yeah, the escalation between the U.S. and Iran. [54:10] Of course, it's once again pushing up those oil and gas prices across the world. [54:14] That means we're all feeling it at the pump. [54:15] NBC News Business and Data correspondent Brian Chung joins us now with more on that. [54:19] So first of all, just give us the overview, where do things stand with gas prices right now? [54:24] Yeah, well, AAA saying this morning that we did hit that $4 mark again. [54:27] That is the first time that gas prices have been in the $4 mark since June 17. [54:32] Now, you'll recall that we had almost two months of straight price declines as a result of those [54:38] negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. [54:40] And then we had a memorandum of understanding that quickly fell apart. [54:43] That was when we started to see gas prices go back up. [54:46] And I think the unfortunate aspect here is that gas prices are likely going to continue going up [54:51] because guess what? [54:52] Crude oil barrels are trading higher in the market going into this week after the things [54:57] that we just heard from here with regards to those shots being exchanged between the U.S. and Iran. [55:01] And so for that reason, we can likely expect to see gas prices at the pump continue to go up from here. [55:06] As on the West Coast, you see states like California, Washington with averages above $5 a gallon. [55:11] So this is really, you know, the pain is coming back for a lot of these Americans, especially as that summer travel is still happening. [55:17] Outside of this most recent rise, is there a wider concern about the volatility of prices here? [55:23] Yeah, look, I think that one big concern here is the U.S. strategic petroleum reserve. [55:28] This is the stock that we have in the country that we've been tapping and using and releasing to blunt the impact of these higher prices [55:35] as a result of the Strait of Hormuz, that critical channel where a fifth of the world's oil travels through, being choked up. [55:40] When we have this supply, we could just tap that. [55:42] The problem is that we're draining so much of that supply. [55:45] We are now at levels that we have not seen since the 1980s. [55:49] That is a very big concern and suggests that we might not have as much dry powder, if you will, [55:54] to blunt the impact of oil prices as they go back up. [55:56] And so this is something that we're going to be watching very closely. [55:58] We know that as a result of these new shots that are being exchanged from both sides, [56:04] there's just less traffic going out of the Strait of Hormuz. [56:06] There's about eight tankers that went through there yesterday. [56:09] Normal traffic pre-war was like 110, 120. [56:12] That is certainly not going to plug the supply. [56:13] And guess what? [56:14] Neither might our Strategic Petroleum Reserve either. [56:17] Clearly, this is contingent on what happens with the war, and we don't know what that's going to be. [56:21] But is there any way to gauge when prices could come down again? [56:24] Are there other factors that play a role here? [56:26] Yeah, the challenge is, unfortunately, no. [56:28] In fact, there are other factors that suggest that prices could remain elevated even outside of what's happening in the Middle East. [56:34] The war between Ukraine and Russia is still happening. [56:37] Russian oil is a big part of the global supply picture as well. [56:41] And so as long as all of those things are happening, [56:43] there's likely going to be continued upward pressure on the prices that we see at the pump. [56:48] Crude oil barrels are now floating around with the idea of like $90 a barrel. [56:51] That is, again, $20, $30 higher than we were during the midst of that MOU between the U.S. and Iran. [56:58] And so for that reason, we likely see prices go up at the pump again, even further past $4 a gallon, as we've already seen this morning. [57:06] All right. [57:07] Brian Chung, good to have you with us. [57:08] Thank you so much. [57:09] Now to a major update on the cyclospora outbreak. [57:11] The FDA says a Taylor Farms lettuce sample that tested positive for the parasite was actually a false positive. [57:19] But the widespread recall remains in effect as another major retailer pulls lettuce supplied by the company from its shelves. [57:26] All its officials are still investigating thousands of cases and racing to find the source. [57:31] NBC News correspondent Ann Thompson joins us now with the latest. [57:35] And good morning. [57:36] Good morning, Joe. [57:37] This morning, as health officials continue their detective work on precisely what's causing this spread, the nation's largest retailer is pulling some items from its produce shelf. [57:48] New confusion on the cyclospora outbreak sickening thousands of people across the country. [57:54] As one company, Taylor Farms, voluntarily recalls its iceberg lettuce in 27 states because of potential contamination. [58:02] This weekend, the FDA, looking at whether there could be a larger outbreak, tested a lettuce sample from Taylor Farms not involved in the recall and said it found cyclospora, but overnight said that was a false positive and that no products have tested positive for the disease yet. [58:20] The agency is now continuing to investigate the source of the outbreak. [58:24] Still, the Taylor Farms recall is ongoing, and the company says it has suspended distribution of iceberg lettuce from central Mexico. [58:32] And Walmart pulling market-side bagged shredded lettuce and iceberg salad supplied by Taylor from its shelves in multiple states. [58:41] Walmart adding there have been no confirmed illnesses associated with the products. [58:46] Dr. Jennifer McIntyre is a food safety expert who's consulted for Taylor Farms in the past. [58:52] Most grocery stores, restaurant chains have systems in place to remove the product from the shelf once they hear about these issues. [59:00] Right now, the federal government says 1,645 people across the country are confirmed to have the illness. [59:08] This pain was like nothing I've ever experienced. [59:10] Maria Aguillo, a marathon runner and childhood cancer survivor, says she was sick for three weeks before getting treatment. [59:18] This isn't a normal stomach virus that it's going to last, you know, two to three days and you'll go back to your normal life. [59:24] It's going to throw off your life for weeks. [59:28] The recalled iceberg lettuce was distributed as recently as last Thursday. [59:33] And some of that market-sized lettuce, that's a little lettuce that's sold at Walmart, it has a use-by date of August 3rd. [59:40] So if you have that in your refrigerator, get it and throw it out. [59:45] As for Taylor Farms' bagged salad mixes, very popular. [59:49] The company says those are not involved in this recall. [59:53] Joe? [59:54] All right, Anne, thank you. [59:55] Well, later this morning, the family of Nolan Wells will lay the 18-year-old to rest two weeks after his body was found near Mississippi Island [1:00:02] as the investigation into his death continues. [1:00:05] NBC News national correspondent Aaron Gilchrist joins us now from Mississippi with more. [1:00:10] Aaron, good morning. [1:00:12] Hey, Savannah, good morning. [1:00:13] We know that visitation will start here at this church in just a little bit, a little later this morning. [1:00:19] The family of Nolan Wells has made this a funeral service that they want to include as many people as they can, [1:00:24] friends, family, teammates, and the larger community. [1:00:27] We've talked to people around here who did not know Nolan Wells, but they feel for his family [1:00:32] and hope they find answers about how he died. [1:00:37] This morning, family and friends set to honor the short life of Nolan Wells [1:00:40] as the investigation into how he died intensifies. [1:00:44] Inside this massive church in his hometown, a huge turnout is expected, [1:00:48] and his mother is planning a fitting celebration. [1:00:50] I know if Nolan was here, he'd be like, Mom, you know, just keep talking to the people, [1:00:54] keep telling my story, keep telling your story. [1:00:57] So that is going to be my plan. [1:00:59] Reverend Al Sharpton will deliver Nolan's eulogy as demands for justice are growing. [1:01:03] According to a newly released incident report, his mother reported her 18-year-old son missing [1:01:08] at around 12.22 a.m. on July 5th. [1:01:11] His body was found a day later on the northwest tip of Horn Island. [1:01:22] Nolan went on an Independence Day boat ride with friends to the island just off the Mississippi coast, [1:01:27] but his friends returned to the mainland without him. [1:01:30] In audio of a call obtained by NBC News through a records request, [1:01:33] someone on the boat reported a mechanical failure to a private towing company. [1:01:38] I want to get this boat on sank and towed back. [1:01:40] The towing dispatcher reached out to a local boat captain to help. [1:01:44] Sounds like a bunch of kids on board on Horn Island. [1:01:47] He wants you guys to go out there and unpump the boat and then tow it in. [1:01:51] But the company says it did not end up towing the boat, saying to NBC News in a statement, [1:01:56] before assistance was rendered, the vessel owner advised that sea tow was no longer needed [1:02:00] because help had already been obtained. Sea tow's involvement concluded at that point. [1:02:06] Now, Nolan's community prepares to say goodbye while struggling with a haunting mystery. [1:02:11] I think we all still stand behind the parents and just want them to, you know, [1:02:15] get their peace and their questions answered. [1:02:17] Now, we understand that the family will hold a private invitation-only repast, [1:02:24] a reception after the funeral later this afternoon. [1:02:26] At the same time, the investigation into what happened to Nolan is continuing. [1:02:30] The sheriff is still asking for people to send in unedited video and pictures they may have [1:02:35] from Horn Island on July 4th. And the autopsies that were ordered, both by the state [1:02:40] and by the independent autopsy that was ordered by the attorneys for Nolan's family, [1:02:45] the results are still outstanding, Savannah. [1:02:47] All right. Aaron, thank you very much. [1:02:49] Well, there's much more to come on this Monday edition of Morning News Now, [1:02:52] including how the world's football fans are reacting to Spain's stunner of a performance [1:02:56] on the pitch against Lionel Messi and his Argentine squad yesterday. [1:03:01] First, though, after the break, we are taking you overseas, where Britain has just minted its [1:03:05] fifth prime minister in just four years. His meeting with King Charles this morning and [1:03:10] where U.S.-U.K. relations might go from here. That's next. [1:03:18] We are back with some breaking news out of the U.K. [1:03:20] Andy Burnham is officially the country's new prime minister after he met with King Charles [1:03:25] earlier this morning. The newly appointed Labour leader takes over from Keir Starmer. [1:03:30] In his first speech outside Downing Street, Burnham vowed to break the pattern of his predecessors [1:03:36] and, quote, do better. [1:03:37] Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again. And that is our challenge, [1:03:50] to make politics work, to make it work better. I know people at home are fed up [1:03:57] with politics. I hear you and I want to be honest with you. We have not been good enough [1:04:04] and we need to be better. We will be. We will make this moment a circuit breaker for Britain. [1:04:17] NBC News International correspondent Raf Sanchez joins us now from London. Raf, good morning. So [1:04:22] the seventh prime minister for the U.K. in just over a decade. What should we know about Burnham and [1:04:28] what did we just hear from him? Hey, Savannah, good morning. Yeah, so Andy Burnham said he is [1:04:34] acutely aware that he is just the latest in what has kind of been a revolving door of prime ministers [1:04:39] in this country. He said it is important for Britain to regain its stability, both for its [1:04:44] domestic economy, but also for its standing on the world stage. Part of Burnham's appeal is that [1:04:50] he is seen as a little more authentic, a little more likable, a little more human than your average [1:04:55] politician. He's 56 years old. He's the former mayor of Manchester up in the north of England, [1:05:00] and he's sometimes nicknamed the king of the north from Game of Thrones because his political [1:05:05] heartland is outside of the beltway here in London, if you will. He says that one of his top [1:05:12] priorities is going to be moving power from London outside to other parts of the U.K., but he's going [1:05:19] to have a big, big task ahead of him as he tries to get what has been a pretty sluggish economy moving. [1:05:24] Yeah, so that's obviously one of the pressing issues. Is it clear how much he's going to differ [1:05:30] from Starmer? Yeah, it's a really good question. They're both from the Labour Party. It's a progressive [1:05:37] center-left party. Burnham has indicated he wants to be a little more left-wing than Starmer. The [1:05:44] reality is there isn't a whole lot of money for the government to spend here because the economy [1:05:48] hasn't been in great shape. As I said, one of his priorities is moving power out to places like [1:05:55] Manchester, where he was mayor. He says that these local authorities are in a better position [1:05:59] to spend their money, the national authorities. But he also is going to be dealing with the same [1:06:04] crises on the world stage that Starmer dealt with, including Ukraine, including the Iran war, [1:06:09] and the rising oil prices that are affecting economies worldwide. Span. [1:06:13] Raph, should we expect any drastic changes to U.K.-U.S. relations with Burnham as PM? [1:06:20] So Burnham has said that he wants to have a good relationship with the United States. He has been [1:06:25] critical of Donald Trump in the past, but we spoke to a former British cabinet minister who served in [1:06:32] government alongside Burnham, and we asked him what he thought Burnham's approach to the president [1:06:38] would be. Take a listen. I think he will get on well with Donald Trump because he's a good [1:06:44] conversationalist, you know, and he's also very good at thinking on his feet. I mean, the thing with [1:06:48] Donald Trump is you never really know what he's going to say. And sometimes if you're not a kind of [1:06:53] flexible politician who can think on your feet, you get it wrong, he will be able to think on his [1:06:57] feet and he'll be able to react with whatever Donald Trump throws at him. So whether Andy Burnham [1:07:04] can strike up a warm relationship with Donald Trump remains to be seen. Traditionally, the new [1:07:09] British prime minister has spoken to the U.S. president within a couple of hours. We will see [1:07:14] if that happens. The president, who has been critical of Burnham in the past, did have some warm [1:07:18] words for him last night because it does sound like Burnham is going to allow for more oil drilling in the [1:07:24] waters off of Scotland, which is something the president supports. Savannah. All right, [1:07:28] Raph, thank you so much for covering that breaking news for us. Well, staying outside the country, [1:07:32] Chipotle is taking a bite out of the Mexican market, opening its first ever location south of the [1:07:38] border. That might not surprise you. It's already cooking up some controversy. NBC News correspondent [1:07:43] George Delis has more. The hottest new restaurant in Mexico is Chipotle. [1:07:50] You heard that right. The burrito bowl giant is serving up its Americanized version of Mexican [1:07:59] cuisine in the country that inspired it. And almost immediately, did you guys hear that Chipotle [1:08:03] is opening up a restaurant in Mexico? The commentary has been anything but mild. [1:08:09] Why are people so up in arms about Chipotle opening up in Mexico? Ahead of the official opening, [1:08:13] local food content creators like Carlos Zamora got an early taste. It was amazing. Chipotle has [1:08:20] finally arrived in Mexico. But it's not the first American fast food chain to test local tastes. [1:08:26] Taco Bell famously struggled to win over Mexican diners before its last location shut down in the [1:08:31] early 2000s. Overseas, Domino's exited Italy in 2022 after Italians said no grazie to their pizzas. [1:08:39] Looks like Panda Express opening up in a Cantonese province. Mexican-American chef Claudette [1:08:43] Zepeda understands the skepticism, but says Chipotle may prove to be the exception. Can you call it [1:08:49] Mexican food? I wouldn't. I would call it American Mexican food or Mexican-American food. Zepeda says it's an [1:08:55] important distinction which could make it easier for Mexican customers to embrace. I think as long as they [1:09:00] keep their ethos of using really good ingredients, cooking everything from scratch, I think it'll do [1:09:04] actually really well. Chipotle said it chose its location in Monterrey because of its strong economy, growing [1:09:10] population, and status as one of the country's leading business and innovation hubs. Still, social media appears to be split. [1:09:17] The reception has been divided. A lot of people are saying they want to try it, and some others [1:09:24] are telling that I don't like that. Only time will tell, though, if Chipotle becomes a permanent [1:09:31] craving or just a culinary curiosity. George Solis, NBC News. That is a curious planet, but now I do want [1:09:40] Chipotle. All right, coming up, the MLB is back in the national spotlight this morning. Not for the reason you [1:09:45] might think, though. When we come back, white players and coaches will have to think twice [1:09:49] before picking up that dugout iPad during their games. That's next. Stay with us. Now with a closer [1:10:04] look at what's making news in the world of politics this morning, starting with Maine Democrats [1:10:08] settling on a candidate for a crucial Senate race. NBC News political reporter Megan Brand has that and [1:10:13] more. Hey, Megan, good morning. Hey, Savannah, good morning. Yeah, let's start off in Maine, [1:10:18] where former state Senate President Troy Jackson is looking to be Democrats likely picked to replace [1:10:24] Graham Plattner. Over the weekend, four major candidates dropped out of the race. It came as [1:10:29] Maine Democrats voted this weekend on delegates for Saturday's convention. That's where 601 delegates [1:10:35] will vote on who should be the party's candidate to take on Senator Susan Collins. Jackson supporters [1:10:41] won most of the delegate seats this past weekend. Let's go next to the FBI, which will no longer [1:10:47] investigate assault against a federal officer cases for confrontations with ICE agents. That's [1:10:52] according to two people familiar with the directives. Now the FBI said in a memo that it would defer those [1:10:58] cases to the investigative arm of ICE. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security, though, denied the [1:11:04] policy change. In a statement, they said that, quote, the relationship between DHS and DOJ in [1:11:10] investigating assault on federal officer cases has not changed. Finally, let's go to Second Lady [1:11:17] Usha Vance, who gave birth yesterday. This is her fourth child, and she is now the first woman since [1:11:23] the 1870s to give birth while her husband is serving as vice president. Vice President J.D. Vance [1:11:29] announced the news in a statement saying that the baby boy's name is Alec Neal Vance. He said that [1:11:34] Usha and baby Alec are, quote, happy and healthy, and our kids are overjoyed to meet their little [1:11:40] brother. And that's a look at what's making news in politics this morning. Savannah? [1:11:43] All right, Megan, thank you so much. Well, we've got a bunch of sports news this morning. We're [1:11:47] going to start on Major League Baseball. It's now restricting how teams use iPads during games, [1:11:52] but it's what they're using them for that's drawing the most attention. Well, in a memo, [1:11:57] it was issued last week, the leak said teams are no longer allowed to run artificial intelligence [1:12:02] apps that could help make decisions about substitutions, pitch calling, and other in-game [1:12:07] decisions that are traditionally made by players and coaches. For more on this, let's bring in Keith [1:12:12] Law. He's a senior baseball writer at The Athletic. Keith, good morning. So first, [1:12:16] let's explain why it would matter so much if players and coaches have access to AI software [1:12:20] during a game. Well, I think some of this is the optics, that baseball wants to preserve [1:12:26] its tradition that these decisions are being made in real time by people. They can have some [1:12:33] information at their fingertips. Obviously, prior to having iPads, it was paper binders or other [1:12:38] documents. Earl Weaver famously used flashcards, like little index cards, to make these decisions. [1:12:43] And the players and coaches can still have the iPads. They just cannot run these machine learning [1:12:49] tools to do things like help predict what pitch the pitcher might throw next or tell them what pitch [1:12:55] to call next, which might make better decisions. Although, I don't know, given the track record of [1:13:01] some of these LLMs, I'm not so sure about that. Do we know if these AI apps and softwares, [1:13:06] or was it specifically helping any teams that were using it or giving anybody an unfair advantage? [1:13:13] So the team that's been named in a few of these reports is the New York Mets. Adam Adovino had [1:13:17] played for them for a couple of years, and he came out and said that owner Steve Cohen had invested [1:13:23] several hundred thousand dollars in this software. The Mets are having one of the worst seasons of any [1:13:29] team in baseball right now. So I don't know of any actual evidence that this was helping. I think [1:13:33] Major League Baseball is just trying to get ahead of this before the tools get too advanced and do [1:13:38] start affecting the play on the field. [1:13:40] Right. Is this going to have a big impact on coaching strategies, do you think, during the [1:13:44] second half of the season? [1:13:45] No, I don't think so, because I don't think it was widespread enough. The reports have said only [1:13:50] about a third of the team were using apps like this at all, and that doesn't even tell us how much [1:13:55] they were using them or if they simply had access to them in the dugout. I do think this could have [1:14:00] become a bigger issue down the line, because obviously some AIs, some machine learning tools [1:14:05] can analyze all of the data sets and say, oh, this pitcher, say, is 90 percent likely to throw a [1:14:11] splitter in this particular count in this situation. And that could really shift the balance a bit [1:14:16] between pitchers and hitters in a way that is just not organic to the sport. [1:14:21] Fans probably remember something else that happened with these iPads, the league banning video [1:14:26] on them. That was back in 2020. It was after the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, where the [1:14:32] Astros had come up with this system to let their team know what signs their opponents were making [1:14:36] on the field using a camera and monitors. This decision, though, it was reversed the next year. [1:14:42] Walk us through that one. Do you think that the league is likely to reverse this decision [1:14:46] potentially as well here? [1:14:47] You would have to see someone advocating for them to change it so they can always change these [1:14:53] policies. And this seems like it was very top-down. Major League Baseball just saying, [1:14:56] we don't like the direction this is going in. We're going to put a stop to it immediately. [1:15:00] And then what happens is every offseason, all of the general managers have a meeting in November [1:15:05] where they do discuss rule changes. And if a majority of the general managers say, [1:15:10] no, we want access to some of these tools, we'll just put some guardrails around their usage, [1:15:15] then Major League Baseball may reconsider the policy. I have a feeling, given the amount of money [1:15:20] that is required to get these tools, you will see enough GMs and owners say, [1:15:24] we don't want to go in that direction. We're fine with providing all that information to coaches [1:15:29] before the games, which is what's been happening forever in the history of baseball, [1:15:33] and just not giving them access to real-time prediction tools that might change how they're [1:15:39] calling pitches or how hitters approach at-bats. [1:15:42] All right, Keith Law, fascinating. Thank you so much. [1:15:45] Coming up, it's never too early to think about. Wait for it. [1:15:49] Back-to-school shopping. I actually completely disagree with that statement and do think it's [1:15:53] too early, but a lot of parents across the country are already stocking up on supplies for the new [1:15:58] academic year. Where can you find the best deals for your family, though? We are watching your wallet [1:16:02] next. This is Morning News Now. Welcome back. All right. In some parts of the country, back-to-school [1:16:09] season is just around the corner. For a lot of us, summer is still going on, but families are already [1:16:13] stocking up on the essentials. Nearly two-thirds of families say they've already started shopping. [1:16:18] So where can parents find the best deals right now? We've got our friend, chief consumer [1:16:21] investigative correspondent and NBC News Daily Anchor, Vicki Nguyen, to tell us everything we [1:16:26] need to know. Vicki, good morning. Okay, I mean, this seems so early to me. Happy back to school. [1:16:29] No, I feel like summer just started. Okay, thank you. But here's the thing. [1:16:33] Affordability is top of mind for families, and so retailers are leaning into it. Target right now has [1:16:38] its back-to-school sales up to 76% off of school supplies, like 25 cents for markers, crayons, [1:16:44] folders, 49 cents for pencil sharpeners, a dollar for pencil cases. Walmart is also rolling back [1:16:50] prices on its 14 most popular items to the prices people paid in 2019. So affordability, they're [1:16:57] really trying to help folks out. They also have things that are on trend, like those butter squishies [1:17:02] that every, like, every kid loves. They have a lot of merch like that. K-pop Demon Hunters continues [1:17:07] to be a big deal. And clothing, that is actually where families spend the bulk of their budget these [1:17:12] days. Retell Me Not says that's actually now the number one category for back-to-school over [1:17:16] school supplies themselves. So Kohl's, we scoured their website. We found thousands of items starting [1:17:22] at $25 or less from big brands, Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas, and then Old Navy. Everything for kids [1:17:29] is 50%. I know, it's so great for kids who are growing out of everything every six months. [1:17:34] Their items starting at $5, and they have a whole section for uniforms too, Savannah. Did you have to [1:17:38] wear a uniform ever? No, I didn't. Me neither. Ooh, baby, the back-to-school clothes shopping and [1:17:42] figuring out, like, planning your outfit for every day of the first weekend. Wait, what's the uniform [1:17:47] section of the Navy? What does that mean? So, like, you know, uniforms. Kids have to wear khaki or navy blue [1:17:52] or white shirts on top and skirts and pants on the bottom. When it's not provided, it's just, like, when it's not [1:17:55] provided and you have to buy your own. General guidelines. Got it. Okay, well, also, like, the lists are so long [1:18:00] between all the clothes that every kid needs, all the supplies they're going to need, and when you've got [1:18:04] multiple children, of course, it's a lot for families. How can families deal with that? So, we [1:18:08] talked with smart shopping expert Trey Bodge, and I love this. It's all about getting your kids involved [1:18:12] in making the list, setting the budget, and also taking an inventory, like, is your backpack totally [1:18:17] fine from last year? Do we still have 85 glue sticks? We don't need to buy new ones, right? So, you need to [1:18:22] make a list of what you already have, then setting the budget and involving them. That way, when they come [1:18:27] back and they're like, but I have to have these jeans or I have to have these Jordans, you look at the budget [1:18:32] and you go, all right, well, what's going to fall off the list, or are we using some of your summer [1:18:35] money from your job or your allowance to help offset the cost here? Stephanie Carls over at RetailMeNot [1:18:40] says, also, don't get overwhelmed. Spread it out. That helps with the budget, but also, you really only [1:18:45] need to shop for day one, meaning, like, a few outfits, the lunchbox, the basic school supplies [1:18:50] that you need, and then when they go to school, odds are they're going to see, oh, Savannah is wearing [1:18:55] this. I want those, too. They're going to come back with a whole other list. No one was looking at me, honey. [1:18:59] No, you know what is starring from this time for me, though, is I, my parents made me have [1:19:05] a rolly backpack. Oh, because they were protecting your back? I'll surprise you, yes. Yeah, because [1:19:11] the stuff is heavy. I'm telling you what kids carry to school these days. Oh, my gosh. It's like [1:19:15] the whole locker and their backpack. No, I know, and textbooks and everything, but, oh, God. One thing [1:19:19] I will mention, well, they became cool eventually, the rolly bag, didn't they? Didn't they also? Tax-free [1:19:26] holidays. I will say, if you're buying a rolly bag, those are expensive, so you want to make [1:19:30] sure that you save on taxes. Florida's tax-free holiday. Florida's tax-free holiday starts today, [1:19:36] goes through August 20th. Connecticut, Illinois, Texas, and a bunch of other states come online [1:19:41] next week. Oh, for sure, if you're saving seven, eight, some cases, state sales tax is like nine [1:19:46] percent, so that's like getting a discount on top of the sales. Anything that parents should hold off [1:19:50] on until closer to schools actually starting? For sure, electronics. If you are in the market [1:19:55] for a computer or a tablet or a laptop or something like that, wait till August. If you really can [1:20:00] wait, Black Friday is when you see the rock-bottom prices on electronics, for sure, and then winter [1:20:05] clothes. You don't need any of that, and the longer you wait, the lower the prices will go. Oh, my gosh. [1:20:09] Are your girls all about their outfits? You know what's super interesting? They feel, I feel like they [1:20:13] just kind of get a little bit here and there throughout the year. Yeah. It's not as big of a deal to do [1:20:17] all of them back to school all at once, which is kind of nice, actually. Yeah, that is nice. [1:20:21] Yeah, spread it out. All right, Vicki, thank you. Great tips. But now let's get to our ongoing [1:20:25] serious business in America. Whilst fast food companies grapple with the weight loss drug boom [1:20:30] and rising beef prices, one major chain is looking to lean into their burger business. NBC News Now [1:20:36] anchor Hallie Jackson sat down with the president of Burger King to get his take on the future of fast food. [1:20:42] Hey, how are you? Good morning. Running to the drive-thru may be easy. Have a good one. But running [1:20:47] the restaurant? Harder these days, with fast food facing bigger headwinds and smaller appetites. [1:20:54] My Chipotle GLP-1 friendly meal. Nearly four times as many Americans take GLP-1s than just two years ago. [1:21:01] One survey, finding people on these weight loss drugs dine out half as much, with 78% cutting out [1:21:07] quick service spots. Is the rise of weight loss drugs going to kill off fast food? No, no, absolutely not. [1:21:13] I mean, fast food is about convenience. It's about great flavor and great value. I still think you need [1:21:19] that. Tom Curtis, the president of Burger King, says so far the proliferation of weight loss drugs [1:21:25] hasn't taken a bite out of business, but he can see what's on the horizon. My impulse has always been [1:21:30] that this GLP-1 movement is going to have a profound impact on the industry. We haven't seen it yet, [1:21:39] so I keep telling the team, we need to be prepared for this. The data has shown us that people keep [1:21:44] coming for Whoppers, and the Whopper's the biggest burger in the fast food business, [1:21:49] and I think people are looking for smaller portions. All of it, as many folks are tightening [1:21:56] their belts figuratively too, looking for dining discounts. Companies like McDonald's, Wendy's, [1:22:02] Taco Bell, rolling out meal deals to compete for customers. But beef prices are soaring, [1:22:08] up nearly 12% since last year, cutting fast food profit margins. At Burger King, Curtis says they're [1:22:15] eating that, asking franchisees not to pass that cost to customers buying Whoppers. [1:22:19] How long is that feasibly sustainable? [1:22:21] Yeah, so I would say it's sustainable indefinitely. You can outrun those costs just by growing traffic, [1:22:28] and that's what this is all about. Everybody's out there trying to sell chicken. We're leaning [1:22:34] into burgers and beef. But I believe that you'd wanted to have 85% of the stores renovated by [1:22:38] 2028. That's correct. Falling short of that goal a bit. Why is that? Beef. Beef prices are exactly [1:22:45] why we're falling short of that. It's slowed the pace down. What it hasn't slowed down is the conviction [1:22:51] and the belief from our owners and from ourselves that this is working. Here in Miami, one of those [1:22:57] recently renovated restaurants. He's the president of Burger King. [1:23:01] Oh, hi. Hi. How are you? Nice to meet you. Thank you. Nice to meet you. Hey, how are you? [1:23:05] And the push for a new and improved customer experience driven by a direct line to the top. [1:23:11] Hi, I'm Tom Curtis, president of Burger King. And here's my number. [1:23:16] Level with me. Is it really your number? I have two numbers and it is one of my numbers. [1:23:19] It really is. Yes. What's the most surprising thing you heard from one of these phone calls or text [1:23:24] messages? There's so many surprising things. Bring back the 90s fries, improve your friendliness. [1:23:30] And that leading the company to roll out a brand new staff position starting this week that Curtis [1:23:35] says will elevate friendliness. The Your Way champion. It's somebody whose priority is to care about the [1:23:43] guest, whatever that means. Hoping to reel in repeat customers along with a new Whopper guarantee. [1:23:48] Now, if your Whopper isn't made your way, we won't just remake it. Your next one will be on [1:23:55] us. These Your Way champions, they can't just go through the motions. They got to feel it. They [1:24:00] got to really care. The competition for your burger business heating up. All right. Thanks to Hallie [1:24:06] Jackson for that report. And this is cool. You can watch an extended version of that sit down [1:24:11] interview with an NBC News subscription. Just scan the QR code. It's on your screen right now. [1:24:16] Download the NBC News app and subscribe. Coming up, the world reacts this morning to its new [1:24:22] kings of soccer. Everything you might have missed from yesterday's stunning Spanish victory over [1:24:27] Lionel Messi and the men of Argentina as the men of Spain arrive back home. Those are live pictures [1:24:33] of them there in Madrid. We'll have more next on Morning News Now. [1:24:37] We thank you for watching. And remember, stay updated on breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app [1:24:47] or watch live on our YouTube channel.