Morning News NOW Full Episode - June 10

[0:02] Right now on Morning News Now, blowback that fragile ceasefire in the Middle East under [0:06] significant strain this morning as the U.S. and Iran trade new attacks over the American Apache [0:12] helicopter that President Trump says was shot down by Tehran. Is the region now going to return [0:18] to all-out war? We'll break down the latest. Back home, the stage is now set for a high-stakes [0:25] Senate showdown in Maine. Controversial Democrat Graham Plattner soaring to a primary victory [0:31] overnight, despite several scandals now in the national spotlight. But will his campaign survive [0:37] against five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins? And could Democrats actually bring a fresh wave of [0:44] blue to Capitol Hill come November? We'll take a look. Also this morning, on alert, millions across [0:51] the Midwest reeling from another round of devastating severe weather that's bringing a dangerous [0:56] deluge of flash flooding and hurricane force winds. We will show you what Mother Nature has in store for [1:02] the rest of your work week. Plus, why some of the biggest programs in college football are [1:07] sidelining games against one low-star, lone-star state school this upcoming season. And the major [1:13] gambling scandal causing controversy off the field. Good Wednesday morning. Thank you so much for [1:19] starting your day with us. I'm Savannah Sellers. Joe is on assignment. We are going to begin this [1:24] Wednesday morning with the United States launching new airstrikes against Iran. The new attacks were [1:29] in response to the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter near the coast of Oman. President Trump [1:34] says the helicopter was shot down while it was patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz. The two crew [1:40] members were safely rescued. The U.S. Central Command says the strikes were a, quote, proportional response [1:46] to unjustified Iranian aggression. The cause of the incident remains under investigation this [1:51] morning. Well, in response, the Iranian foreign minister says Iran will not leave any attack [1:56] unanswered. According to Iranian state TV, Iran later launched retaliatory attacks against U.S. [2:03] military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait. Iran's Revolutionary Guard says this footage shows missiles [2:09] being launched at U.S. bases, but NBC News cannot independently confirm when or where the video was [2:15] shot. NBC News correspondent Alice Barr joins us from Washington with the latest on all this. Alice, [2:20] good morning. Good morning, Savannah. A U.S. official tells NBC News no Americans were hurt [2:26] in the Iranian strikes overnight that were mostly intercepted and that the U.S. military struck about 20 [2:32] targets in Iran, all of it raising serious questions about the tenuous and tested ceasefire and the push [2:40] for a peace deal. New escalations in the Middle East with Iran firing missiles at a U.S. base in Jordan [2:52] overnight and launching drone attacks against American forces in Bahrain and Kuwait, according to Iranian state [2:59] media, while Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed attacks against 21 targets across the Gulf in response to [3:07] American strikes around the Strait of Hormuz. Those strikes followed the downing of a U.S. Army Apache [3:13] helicopter that President Trump and the military blamed on Iran. The pilots are fine, yeah. Nobody [3:20] injured. While the pilots were safely rescued, the president posted that the U.S. must of necessity [3:26] respond. House Speaker Mike Johnson explained how. It's targeted strikes to the radar missile and command [3:35] to control sites and it is defensive in nature. U.S. Central Command said overnight the mission was [3:41] complete and called it a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression. And we're learning [3:47] more about that U.S. helicopter that was patrolling to prevent Iranian attacks on commercial ships when a [3:54] U.S. official tells NBC News it was hit by an Iranian drone and crashed into the Strait of Hormuz. In a first [4:02] of its kind rescue, an unmanned U.S. military boat like this one brought them to safety. On Capitol Hill, [4:09] Democrats raising concerns about what they call a perpetual cycle of retaliation. A retaliation is [4:16] going to just set diplomacy back that much further. Just before the new flare-up, President Trump said the U.S. [4:23] and Iran were in the final throes of what will be a very, very good deal. Now diplomacy facing another [4:29] fierce test. And Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said today his country needs to assess the situation [4:36] before moving ahead with peace talks. Iran is now accusing the U.S. of striking two water storage tanks [4:44] in the new attacks, cutting off drinking water in one area. While a U.S. official tells NBC News Iran [4:50] has been aggressively launching attack drones toward traffic in the Strait of Hormuz for days. [4:56] Savannah. All right, Alice, thank you so much. Well, for more on the war with Iran, [5:00] let's bring in Colonel Steve Warren. He's an NBC News military analyst, former Pentagon spokesperson [5:05] and friend of the show. Colonel Warren, thank you so much. Good morning. So the United States [5:09] retelling against Iran in response to the downing of that Apache helicopter. I mean, that comes [5:13] as no surprise. But let's talk about this back and forth, these responses that we've now seen. [5:19] Are they proportional? Do you see this as one step on the road to all-out war in the region? [5:25] Savannah, good morning. We're on the edge right now, I think. We're in a dangerous, [5:30] dangerous place. I'm encouraged by the fact that U.S. Central Command is characterizing these [5:36] as proportional and defensive. That sends a signal, right? Not offensive, but defensive. It's a [5:42] retaliation. And the Iranians, too, feel like they are retaliating for the American strike. So that's [5:48] the good news. The bad news, of course, is as we increase the amount of engagement, [5:54] increase the amount of fire back and forth, the increase in danger is proportional. So we have to [6:00] be very nervous, very on edge, and keep a very close eye on this. With all the military hardware [6:06] in the region, Colonel, I mean, is the back and forth like this almost just inevitable as time [6:11] drags on with no solution in sight? Well, there's going to be some of that, right? You know, [6:16] whenever you have two heavily armed foes standing toe-to-toe like this, there's inevitably going [6:22] to be some sort of shoving and bumping as these two forces sort of come into contact with one [6:29] another. I believe that's inevitable. What we've seen over the last 12 hours is a little bit more [6:35] than sort of the inevitable pushing and shoving that you would see in a ceasefire situation like [6:40] this. How damaging do you think this is to potential negotiations on a more permanent ceasefire? [6:46] Well, it's certainly not helpful, Savannah. It's not helpful at all. But I think it's really more [6:52] both sides trying to assert that they remain capable, that they remain ready, [6:58] and that they are prepared to resume combat operations if these talks don't progress. So in [7:05] some ways, it's an encouragement to let's get back to the table. Let's keep talking. Let's not [7:10] forget that we are facing a foe that still has capabilities. Aside from these attacks that we see [7:17] right now, one thing happening like the downing of the helicopter and then a response to that, [7:21] which obviously creates this moment of tension, remind us the wider backdrop that is slowing these [7:28] talks down when it comes to something like Iran's nuclear program and what we've heard from the [7:31] president on that. Well, sure. And that is the largest sticking point in these negotiations is this [7:37] nuclear question. The Iranians believe that they have an inherent right to develop nuclear weapons, [7:44] plain and simple. The United States and the rest of the Western world disagrees with that. And that [7:50] really is the main sticking point. The lesser points, for example, the Strait of Hormuz, I believe [7:56] that's something that could be worked out. You know, we've done tremendous damage to the Iranian nuclear [8:01] capabilities already. It seems to me they should be able to work out something in the Strait of [8:07] Hormuz and then continue talking about the nuclear question going forward. Colonel, this operation, [8:14] as we were told anyway, at the beginning of this was supposed to be four to six weeks or so. [8:19] We've now passed 100 days. What does that mean for our troops, for military readiness and [8:26] capabilities? Well, it certainly puts somewhat of a strain, particularly on the U.S. Navy and to some [8:33] extent the United States Air Force as well. Keep in mind, only about 10 percent of the U.S. Navy [8:37] is directly involved in this in this operation. So that leaves plenty more naval capability for the [8:44] U.S. to patrol the rest of the world. All of that said, you know, at the very beginning of the Savannah, [8:49] we talked about this conflict being a test of wills. I believe now that it's evolved into a test of [8:56] patience. Right. Who can last the longest and get to a deal without going back to full scale combat [9:02] operations? Colonel, always good to have you with us. Thanks for your time. Well, Maine, the stage is [9:08] now set for a Senate seat battle this November that could have national importance. Oyster farmer and [9:14] veteran Graham Plattner secured the Democratic Senate nomination despite a series of scandals. Now, [9:20] he's denied some allegations, but just acknowledged overnight that he's, quote, [9:24] made mistakes that I regret. He will face five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins this fall in a [9:31] high-stakes Senate race that's already shaping up to be a bruising battle. She serves Donald Trump. [9:38] She serves the Epstein class. She serves her corporate donors. She does not serve us. And so [9:47] we will defeat Susan Collins. Now, the November race is a must-win for Democrats looking to regain [9:54] control of the upper chamber. As you can see, we've got NBC News senior national political reporter [9:59] Sahil Kapoor joining us now from Washington with more on this and also other state primary election [10:04] results, including some that have been being counted for about a week now. Sahil, good morning. So let's [10:09] start there in Maine and with Plattner. First, remind us the scandals for anybody who might not know [10:15] exactly what it is here that he's facing. And then tell us how it is that it seems he's been able to [10:20] overcome some of that with voters. Yes, Savannah. So on the controversies, first, [10:24] there's the chest tattoo that Mr. Plattner said. He drunkenly got many years ago with fellow Marines not [10:29] realizing it had Nazi associations. He recently had that covered. There are old Reddit posts on an [10:36] array of subjects that were very controversial. He has addressed those, said it was a dark period [10:40] and that he's a better person now. More recently, there are allegations reported in the New York Times [10:45] from three ex-girlfriends who he dated from his 20s to his early 30s. Two of them say he drank a lot. [10:50] He was a bad boyfriend. This he accepts. A third woman says he got rough with her at times, [10:55] like grabbing her by the shoulders or yanking her by the wrist out of a car. This he firmly denies. [11:00] And his campaign has noted that this particular woman is a conservative operative. Now, why is he [11:04] resonating? Plattner has a populist outsider message that is connecting with many voters on the ground [11:10] there. He's running on taxing the wealthy, universal health care, raising the minimum wage, getting money [11:14] out of politics, fundamentally upending the system. And he argues that he should not be defined by [11:21] things in his past. Take a listen. If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics and change [11:29] our country, then you must also believe that people can change. And the reason I believe that [11:42] is because I have lived it. And in that same speech, Savannah, he really laced into Senator Collins [11:48] as a puppet of a corrupt establishment who he's taking on. Her campaign responded, telling me in a [11:53] statement last night that Mainers are not looking for angry speeches riddled with lies, as they put [11:58] it, that Mainers are looking for results. Of course, this is going to be a vitally important race for [12:02] Democrats. There is no real path to them flipping the four seats they need to win the Senate majority [12:07] if they can't flip the blue state of Maine. No kidding. All right. Let's talk about another one, [12:11] South Hill, South Carolina, top Trump ally. Senator Lindsey Graham, he won his GOP Senate primary. He [12:17] will be seeking a fifth term here. Tell us about this race and other important ones in that state. [12:21] Yeah, that's right. Senator Graham handily won renomination to another term. He's going to [12:27] face Democrat Annie Andrews, who's a pediatrician, calls him a swamp creature and a warmonger. [12:33] Graham is going to be a heavy favorite here in the red state of South Carolina. Also in the state, [12:37] the governor's race had its primary. There was a bit more anticipation around this. [12:41] The Republicans will see a runoff between the Trump-backed Pamela Yvette and Alan Wilson, [12:45] the son of sitting Congressman Joe Wilson. Also notable here is that two other sitting Republican [12:51] members of the House, Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace, got knocked out. They didn't even make it [12:55] to the top two, and they gave up their House seats to run for this. They will not be coming back to [13:00] Congress. And the winner here will face the Democrat Jermaine Johnson. Again, the Republicans are going [13:06] to be heavy favorites in this state. All right, South Hill, let's head to California. We are still [13:10] watching vote count here. It's been more than a week since Election Day. We do have some big news, [13:15] though, on the governor's race. Walk us through this. It's on our screens right now. [13:17] Absolutely. So the Democratic nominee, Javier Becerra, this was projected some time ago he [13:24] would advance. We now know who his opponent will be. That is Steve Hilton, the Republican, [13:29] former Fox News host, backed by President Trump. He's a British immigrant to the United States, [13:34] previously worked for the Tory prime minister, David Cameron. He defeated Tom Steyer for that second [13:40] spot to advance to the runoff. Steyer is a billionaire. He spent more than 200 million of his own money [13:45] trying to win this race. He had a moment, but ultimately petered out. And Javier Becerra caught [13:51] fire at the right time. Steyer will not make the runoff. It will be a race for the next governor of [13:56] California to replace Gavin Newsom between Becerra and Hilton. Becerra, as a Democrat in that blue [14:02] state, is going to be a heavy, heavy favorite this fall. All right, Sahar Kapoor, thank you so much. [14:07] Well, in Texas on Tuesday, 19-year-old Carmelo Anthony was found guilty and sentenced to 35 years in prison [14:14] for the stabbing death of a fellow student athlete. His sentence came down just hours after a jury [14:19] unanimously convicted him of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Dallas area track meet last [14:25] year. NBC News correspondent Ryan Chandler has a look at the verdict in a case that's become a national [14:30] flashpoint. Emotions boiling over outside the courthouse. Protesters in each other's faces, [14:38] some openly weeping, and for others, relief that justice was served. [14:45] You think this is justice for Austin? I believe so. As a Texas jury finds 19-year-old Carmelo Anthony [14:51] guilty of murder for stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet last year. [14:57] You will never, never disrespect a black woman like that. Numerous witnesses said Anthony instigated the [15:04] confrontation, the prosecution calling his actions unjustified and intentional, telling the jury, [15:10] you don't get to meet a shove with a stab, especially if you provoke the shove. [15:16] In closing arguments Tuesday, the defense again tried to portray Metcalf as the aggressor, [15:20] that he made physical contact first, and Anthony defended himself in a split second of chaos. [15:27] What was it like? What was it like? When the verdict was read? I feel like it was designed [15:32] to protect white people, the system, and it was not designed to protect black people. It's self-defense. [15:39] Supporters of Anthony have raised concerns for a fair trial after no black people were seated on [15:45] the jury. Inside the courtroom, tears from both families, Anthony's mother described as weeping, [15:51] later asking the court to please have mercy on my son. Ryan Chandler, NBC News. [15:57] For more, let's bring in NBC News legal analyst Danny Savalos. Danny, good morning. So, okay, [16:02] the jury deliberated. It was really just three hours yesterday before delivering this unanimous [16:06] guilty verdict for murder, and then hours later, in sentencing, he was handed this 35-year sentence. [16:11] Were you surprised by any of this? Not at all. Certainly as to the speed that the jury came back, [16:17] there's this public misperception that juries take days, even weeks to deliberate. They really don't. [16:22] On the whole, it's not uncommon for them to return a verdict in one day, especially if [16:27] that day is Friday or the day before a vacation. It wasn't in this case, but juries generally don't [16:33] take as long, and there really weren't many issues in this case that I saw, no surprise. [16:38] Carmelo Anthony did not take the stand in his own defense in what was a self-defense trial. [16:45] How do you think that impacted the jury? It was the right choice for the defense, [16:49] and here's why. You're talking about a 17-year-old defendant going up against a seasoned prosecutor [16:55] with all the rules of evidence on his side. And then you add to that the fact that in Texas, [17:00] the burden is on the prosecution to disprove self-defense. So that was the major reason why [17:07] they would not have put him on the stand, because they already had a presumption in his favor. [17:12] Putting a 17-year-old on the stand, it might have gone horribly, horribly wrong. [17:16] What do you make of the concern that was just raised there in Ryan's piece about the makeup of [17:22] the jury? I make of it that there is no constitutional requirement that you have [17:27] a certain number of black or white people on a jury. The Supreme Court has said that the only [17:33] limitation is that when you use your peremptory challenges, now these are a certain number of [17:37] challenges we lawyers get where we can strike someone for the jury for any reason, any reason at [17:41] all. But the Supreme Court said long ago, there is one exception. You can't eliminate people based on [17:47] their race. It's called a Batson challenge. But here's the thing. I've been Batson challenged. You know [17:51] what you do? You look down at your notes and you come up with any other reason in the universe to [17:57] exclude that juror, and then that is a constitutional reason. So yes, there are protections against that, [18:03] but the mere fact that there was an all-white jury is not by itself a constitutional violation, [18:10] unless black jurors were excluded because they were black. And does that mean also not grounds for [18:15] an appeal? Oh no, they'll certainly appeal it. And by the way, they raised the Batson challenge, [18:19] so they can bring that up on appeal. It's preserved. I don't know that it'll make it very [18:23] far because the reporting that I read, I understand that the reason those jurors were excluded was [18:28] because they worked in school or in the school district or something like that. That sounds like [18:33] a legitimate, non-racially motivated reason, but that'll be up to the appellate court, that and [18:38] whatever other appellate issues they want to raise. The other thing I want to ask you about is the [18:41] defense asked the jury to consider that Anthony carried out this attack under the terminology [18:47] sudden passion. What does that mean legally speaking and how did that go? Passion is not [18:53] a defense to the guilt phase of the trial. Passion is really, in Texas, more of a mitigation [18:57] at sentencing. And what it does, if they find it, it actually drops the punishment down to two to 20 [19:04] years, a major difference because you see he got 35 years. But here's the thing, passion is an [19:09] objective test. So in other words, you can't say, oh, I felt like I was in the heat of passion. [19:14] The jury would have been instructed that this is, you have to consider someone of an ordinary temper. [19:19] That's the language the statute uses. That's where the prosecution usually wins, is that they say, [19:24] would a person of ordinary temper have responded the way this defendant did? And that's what makes [19:29] it a difficult burden for the defendant. And by the way, at this stage, the burden shifts to the [19:35] defendant. He has to prove that passion. So I'm not surprised that he was not successful there. [19:40] All right. Danny Civellos, thank you so much. Well, a man in Florida is lucky to be alive this [19:45] morning after fighting off an attack by a shark. Authorities say he was severely injured after the [19:50] shark struck him and another swimmer at a marina off the Florida panhandle Monday morning. NBC News [19:55] correspondent Steve Patterson has more. The violent shark attack caught on camera. A man spotted fighting [20:02] for his life, blood in the water and harrowing pleas for help. It happened at a naval facility in Panama [20:12] city Monday morning. Authorities say two staff members went for a swim in the nearby recreational [20:19] marina when the shark struck, attacking one of the men, severely injuring both of his arms. [20:25] The person out of the water? No, the person I think is still in the water. First responders [20:30] rushing the man to a local hospital, a naval commander saying their actions were critical. [20:35] We continue to have the safety of all our personnel, Paramount and all of the operations that [20:41] we do on board the base. Look at it. Oh my gosh. The attack comes during a string of similar shark [20:47] sightings. Oh my gosh. From a nature trail in Brooklyn to a fisherman hooking a great white [20:55] in Nantucket. Authorities say that naval staff member in Florida is now recovering from surgery. [21:05] Steve Patterson, NBC News. Wow, that is some video there. Millions of people across the Midwest [21:12] are on alert for more extreme weather this morning after Tuesday brought another round of severe storms, [21:17] heavy rains and flash flooding. In Indiana, rescue crews in boats raced to evacuate people trapped [21:23] by the fast rising floodwaters. And in Kansas, powerful winds topped more than 100 miles per hour, [21:30] pushing cars off roads and into ditches. NBC News correspondent Maggie Vespa has the latest. [21:41] Chilling new video of a truck turned on its side by flash floodwaters in southern Indiana. [21:46] Watch as the driver tumbles out of the vehicle into the rushing water. One just jumped out. And look [21:53] at this. What appears to be a propane tank spewing gas as it swept away. Rescue boats deployed as [22:00] residents raced to evacuate. The deluge swallowing trucks and tractors and leaving this baseball field [22:08] totally submerged. We've lived here 25 years. Never seen it like this. A powerful system tearing [22:18] through Kansas, bringing hurricane force winds with gusts topping 100 miles per hour. One driver [22:24] miraculously uninjured after she was blown off the highway. High winds in New Mexico, whipping up [22:32] walls of dust, blinding drivers. While back east, the flood threat isn't over as more storms slam the [22:41] region. We're scared. We're nervous. But we got to clean up now and hope it doesn't come back. [22:46] Maggie Vespa, NBC News. Let's get you more details now on these severe storms are expected [22:52] from the central plains to the Great Lakes. We've got our morning news now forecast with [22:55] meteorologist Raphael Miranda. Raph, good morning. Hey there, Savannah. Good morning again. Fortunately, [22:59] we're dealing with that severe weather threat for the next several days. Dangerous weather. Even [23:03] this morning, we've had severe storms moving through parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Very heavy rain [23:08] there. Let's talk about the threat today. It's a bit farther east than it was yesterday. [23:12] Now including Chicago up towards Green Bay. 36 million at risk for severe storms later on this [23:18] afternoon. A few strong tornadoes of possibility as well. But winds will be the main threat today. [23:24] And you can see we could see winds gusting over 75 miles per hour. I would expect high impact storms [23:29] and significant travel delays. If you're heading towards the Midwest later on today, watch out for [23:34] that. Also hail a possibility there. Then we look at tomorrow. 103 million at risk for severe storms. [23:41] That's because we're including the New York City metro down towards Philly and D.C., but also again, [23:46] Chicago and nearby cities dealing with that threat for strong tornadoes. That's tomorrow afternoon. So [23:52] no break there. And then again, Friday, it's the northeast turn as that cold front finally slides east [23:57] from Philly. D.C., New York City could see strong to severe thunderstorms. Wind damage will be the main [24:03] threat on Friday. Tornado risk, thankfully, is low. Because of all the storms, lots of rain coming our way. [24:09] That could also be an issue. Several inches of rain a possibility in places like the Midwest. [24:14] And we're highlighting that flood risk today. Flash flooding a possibility in Chicago. So you get [24:19] the idea. It's going to be a very active weather day there. And I would watch out for those delays. [24:24] Again, focusing on Friday for a minute. 61 million at risk. That includes New York City up to Albany [24:28] and down towards D.C. and Virginia. This could be a quite active, severe weather day. We have the heat [24:33] building ahead of a cold front. Speaking of heat, the humidity comes back today, Savannah, here in the [24:39] northeast. But temperatures start to sizzle tomorrow back into the 90s. And Friday, it's going to feel like [24:45] triple digits in places like New York City and D.C. and Philly. It's going to be a sweltering finish to the [24:51] workweek. And it stays hot into the weekend as well. [24:53] Oh, boy. All right, Raph. Thanks so much. [24:55] You got it. [24:56] And we've got much more to come on this hour of morning news now, including even more controversy [25:00] surrounding the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off tomorrow. Why hotel bookings near the biggest [25:06] stadiums? They're not as full as expected. First off, after the break, Pope Leo's blessing in [25:11] Barcelona, a historic moment for the Catholic Church, more than a century in the making. We will take it [25:16] there next. [25:17] We are back with a historic moment in the making for the Catholic Church. Later today, Pope Leo XIV [25:28] will head to Barcelona's famous Sagrada Familia Basilica to bless its newly completed Tower of [25:34] Jesus Christ. The basilica has been under construction for more than 140 years and is now the tallest church [25:41] in the world. Well, today's ceremony also coincides with the 100th anniversary of the death of Anthony [25:47] Gowdy, the architect who first imagined this extraordinary landmark. NBC News International [25:53] Correspondent Raph Sanchez is in Barcelona with a preview of today's historic event. Raph, [25:57] oh, my goodness, what a shock. Great to see you. That's just gorgeous. It's been a busy day already [26:01] for the pontiff. What has he been up to so far? And what's the message that he's sending while on [26:06] this trip? [26:09] Hey, Savannah. Yeah, so the Pope will be here at Sagrada Familia this evening, but he's already had [26:14] a very busy day here in Barcelona. He was at a prison earlier and he met with inmates there [26:19] some of whom are serving really pretty lengthy jail terms. And he talked to them about the power of [26:26] redemption. He told them, God loves you just as you are, but he dreams of you being even better. [26:33] And that has been pretty consistent with the message that he has spread throughout this week-long [26:38] visit to Spain. He has talked about the most marginalized in society, be they refugees, [26:46] be they poor people, be they, in this case, prisoners, and how there is a place for all of [26:52] them. And then he will be back here tonight for that very special mass this evening. Savannah. [26:57] Let's talk about that mass, Raph, just why it's such a big moment, not just for the church and for [27:02] the Pope, but really people across Spain. I mean, I mentioned 140 years of construction. This is [27:08] generally a big moment here. [27:10] Yeah. And I think that's exactly it. This church has been under construction since the late 1800s. [27:18] It has loomed over this city for so long. And the fact that generation after generation of believers [27:25] have continued the work, have brought it closer to completion is kind of an act of faith in and of [27:31] itself. Raph Sanchez from Barcelona for us again, just such a gorgeous shot. What an exciting time. [27:38] Thank you so much. Well, the time has finally come. The first round of World Cup matches kicks [27:43] off tomorrow. Host cities, including Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston, are all expecting [27:49] an influx of fans from around the world. But while FIFA says millions of tickets have been sold, [27:53] many hotels say bookings have fallen short of their expectations. NBC News business and economy [27:59] reporter Ali Canal breaks down where fans are staying and how it could impact local businesses. [28:03] The World Cup is expected to bring millions of visitors to the U.S. But just days before kickoff, [28:13] many hotels still have plenty of rooms to fill. We anticipated being sold out every time we [28:19] released a room into into the market. So unfortunately, that's that's not really the case right now. [28:26] Ann Johnson is the general manager of the state hotel in Seattle, where six World Cup matches will [28:31] be played. She says bookings for June are running about 5 percent below this time last year, a [28:38] surprising shortfall given the games. It's making us a little bit nervous. She's not alone. According [28:44] to the American Hotel and Lodging Association, 80 percent of hotels and host markets say bookings are [28:50] running below expectations. So we were hoping we would be sold out by now. But unfortunately, [28:56] demand is not there yet. Emre Ustutz is the regional director of sales for the Lancaster Hotel in [29:02] downtown Houston. He says many of the international visitors hotels we're counting on have yet to [29:07] arrive, citing high travel prices, visa challenges and the overall cost of attending the tournament. [29:14] Ticket prices are extremely unaffordable. There are games in Canada and Mexico as well, [29:20] which that may be more affordable for some people to go there than coming to the United States. [29:25] Another factor, FIFA reserved large blocks of hotel rooms years ago, expecting a surge of fans. [29:32] But in cities from Boston and Dallas to Los Angeles and Philadelphia, many of those rooms have since [29:38] been released back into the market after the expected fan rush never came. FIFA is claiming all the tickets [29:44] sold out, but we don't see that on the hotel. So I'm curious to see where these people are going to [29:50] stay. The answer may be short-term rentals. Currently, both our properties are fully booked. [29:57] Wow. Fully sold out for the duration. Fully sold out for that time. Jennifer Smith is an Airbnb super [30:01] host outside of Dallas. She says guests are traveling from as far away as Australia and Japan. They can [30:08] step into a space where they can gather together. So I think that is the draw that we have. According to [30:15] Airbnb, families and groups accounted for more than 50% of all World Cup trips. Local businesses [30:22] are hoping for a win, too. Some have hired extra staff and spent months preparing for an influx of [30:28] fans. So we have been intentionally building our team and coaching our team. For businesses like [30:32] Stats Brew Pub in Atlanta, success isn't just about crowds during the game. I want the impact to continue [30:38] after the summer and into next year. Whether the World Cup delivers the lasting boost many host cities [30:44] are counting on may not be clear until the final whistle blows. Hopefully, you know, we can see those [30:50] last-minute pick-up from the people in the United States. Ali Canal, NBC News. Well, the 2026 FIFA [30:58] World Cup tournament starts tomorrow in Mexico City, with Mexico set to play against South Africa. [31:03] South Korea will face Czechia just a few hours later. You can catch all the action live in Spanish [31:10] on Peacock and on Telemundo. We are so excited about that. Coming up, could it really be time to [31:16] lose the booze after the break? We're digging into some eye-opening new research on just how many drinks [31:21] are too many, and the answer might sober you up. The doctor's in next. We are back now with our weekly [31:32] medical checkup. This week, we've got new guidelines from the American Heart Association about a condition [31:36] that affects about 90 percent of Americans. Plus, how many drinks are too many? I know we talk about [31:42] this a lot. We're going to talk about it again. Here to break down these health headlines is NBC News [31:45] medical contributor and our friend, Dr. Natalie Azar. Hello, doctor. Good morning. Okay, let's start [31:51] with this newly named condition. It's called CKM syndrome. What is this, and who's at risk? [31:58] Well, if the stats, if you listen to the stats that nine out of 10 of us have a condition that falls [32:05] into cardiovascular kidney metabolic syndrome, you would be blown away and say, oh, no, not me. But [32:10] what it encompasses, it's not new diseases, but it's actually a combination of cardiovascular disease, [32:16] kidney disease, and what falls into metabolic syndrome. And what falls into metabolic syndrome [32:21] includes things that we know, overweight, obesity, type 2 diabetes. It's actually not a newly named [32:27] condition. The AHA came out with this a couple of years ago. But what this guideline is really [32:31] emphasizing, Savannah, is that how do healthcare providers have conversations with their patients [32:37] about the role of obesity and overweight in these cardiovascular conditions? And that's kind of like [32:44] the push from the American Heart Association here. So my doctor's orders are very important here. [32:51] Yes, people need to get screened. You need to know your blood pressure, your lipid profile. You need to [32:55] know what your weight is. You need to know your kidney function. Knowledge is key here because the other [33:00] thing that the American Heart Association released a couple of weeks ago were new guidelines in terms [33:05] of screening people and implementing therapy early, even at the age of 30, for example, for cholesterol [33:13] lowering, lipid lowering, so that you improve sort of your lifetime cardiovascular risk. Is all of that [33:19] like kidney function, all that kind of stuff, stuff that you find out in like your normal annual? [33:22] Yeah. The stuff that goes into that, you know, 10 and 30 year calculator is all things that you can [33:30] find. If you look up your recent labs, calculate your BMI, all of that information is actually quite [33:36] readily available for most people with an annual physical and the blood tests that they do. [33:41] So when you're doing that blood test, your doctor's going to see right away if there's a concern. [33:44] Okay. All right. Good to know. Okay. As we're going to say with heart health, [33:47] this one has to do with air pollution and its link to heart health. [33:50] Yes. Yes. So, you know, we talk about air pollution a lot as being potentially a risk [33:55] factor for a lot of different things. We can think, you know, COPD and lung disease and asthma, [33:59] that makes sense. But what is the association between pollution and cardiovascular disease? [34:05] And these researchers found out that in fact, moderate levels of pollution exposure. And what [34:10] that means is like levels of pollution that are considered kind of at or below what is like quality, [34:17] air quality that normally many of us inhale is associated with an increased risk of plaque [34:23] burden, calcium buildup in your coronary arteries, as well as something called obstructive coronary [34:29] artery disease. So what do you do about this? Right. It's like, well, all, you know, especially [34:33] if you live in the city, what am I, how can I stay inside all the time? A couple of things, [34:37] actionable things that you can do. You can check your air quality. That's something called [34:41] airnow.gov, the air quality index. And by the way, these are things like wildfire smoke and [34:47] emissions, things that we're exposed to every day. Use air filters inside on a poor air quality day. [34:55] You can wear N95s when you go outside. You can limit your outdoor activities. You know, [35:01] ozone is highest in the afternoon, for example. So you do your errands in the morning or late in the [35:07] evening. There are things that you could do to offset that other than moving to the country or [35:12] moving to a more rural area. Right. Right. Oof. That's good information for a lot of us in this [35:16] country. All right. The one we've all been waiting for. Yeah. Drumroll. What's the news here on how much [35:21] is too much to drink? Oh, my goodness. Okay. So the messaging here hasn't really changed. What has [35:26] changed is a different quantity that these experts based on this report are recommending. [35:35] Let me guess. It went down. It went down. So back in the day, the old recommendation was two drinks [35:40] a day for men. One drink a day for women was considered was considered moderate and technically [35:45] allowable. Fast forward all the research after of the last couple of years, Savannah, we're saying, [35:51] oh, that sounds kind of like kind of a lot. So recently we had the U.S. dietary guidelines that said [35:56] drink less but didn't tell us how much. This study looked at took a meta analysis of dozens of [36:03] studies. And their results or conclusions were that, no, if you drink at least like one drink a [36:10] day, even one drink a day does unfortunately increase your risk of alcohol related morbidity [36:16] and mortality. 14 drinks a week increases the risk. One in 25 people are going to die from an alcohol [36:24] related illness and daily drinking even. And we know this even for breast cancer. The smallest amount [36:31] of alcohol can even increase the risk of cancer. But here's what I want to say. [36:35] Doctor's orders know your risk. Less is usually better. Remember that these are population level [36:41] statistics. Okay. So if you have, for example, a very high risk, a personally high risk of breast [36:46] cancer, you're going to be more cautious about your alcohol intake than someone who doesn't, [36:51] let's say. Or let's say that you have a very, very high risk of cardiovascular disease in your family. [36:57] There is some data to suggest that very, very, very low levels could be slightly cardio protective, [37:04] probably because of the diet that you're eating. So I just want to make a point that these numbers, [37:10] we're not doing this to scare people. Alcohol is an important social thing. We know this. [37:15] But I think that people need to be aware and be informed that even a small amount of alcohol, [37:21] unfortunately, does increase the risk of a lot of things, increase mortality, and unfortunately, [37:25] increase risk of cancer. We just can't get away from that data. [37:28] I think the other thing that maybe is a little confusing too, is like, if you, [37:31] maybe you're looking at that check on, I mean, I'll be honest, like I'm looking at that and I'm [37:34] like, definitely don't drink every day. I definitely don't have 14 a week. I probably maybe drink once [37:39] a week. And let's say that night I have a cocktail and then two glasses of wine. So there's three drinks [37:44] in a whole week, but three drinks in one night. [37:46] So unfortunately for your liver and for cancer risk, especially breast cancer risk, that kind of [37:51] excess drinking all in one sitting, which is even referred to as binge, right? Exactly. Is actually [37:56] kind of medically worse for you, even though the total number may be below that threshold. So you [38:04] kind of don't win by saving yourself. I'm not suggesting to space it all out. But I mean, this [38:09] is, you know, again, these are social behaviors, but I think it's always good to be aware of the [38:14] potential negative consequences. [38:16] Right. We know it ain't good for us. It's the bottom line. [38:19] I know. I wish I had better. I just don't think we're going to get better news on alcohol. [38:22] Yeah. [38:22] It's not going to get it. [38:23] Yeah. All right. Dr. Azar, thank you so much. Good to see you. [38:26] Well, let's stay with health news. We've got another installment of our series, [38:29] The Cost of Denial, where we examine the challenges Americans face while dealing with insurance [38:34] coverage. This morning, we're taking a look at one family's desperate struggle to keep their [38:38] daughter alive and how it put them more than a million dollars in debt. NBC News Now anchor Kate Snow has the [38:45] details. Candy LaVassar is a nurse. Her husband, Larry, a retired state trooper. They say they had [38:52] to make a choice, go into massive debt or their 24-year-old daughter, Rachel, would die. [38:58] I've seen a lot in almost 40 years of emergency work. And to see your own daughter in front of you [39:05] in such a bad position is brutal, absolutely brutal. [39:10] This is Rachel's room. [39:11] Candy showed us her daughter's bedroom. Rachel has autism and a complex form of obsessive-compulsive [39:17] disorder that convinces her she's contaminated, could infect others, and needs to die. [39:23] Look at this one. It's okay if all you did today was survive. [39:26] Survive, yes. [39:27] Rachel has attempted suicide numerous times, her entire family fighting to save her, including [39:33] sister Ellie. I just miss my sister. [39:37] For years, the family says their insurance covered in network therapists, psychiatrists, [39:42] and three residential facilities. Hi, Rachel. This is Kate. [39:47] Over the phone, Rachel told us why she left the third facility. [39:51] I mean, we were just lost. Do you start to feel desperate? [40:06] We are desperate, yes. We are. [40:08] Then they discovered a program within Shepherd Pratt Hospital, right in their home state of [40:12] Maryland. Like many mental health providers, the program doesn't participate with any health [40:17] insurance, even though the broader hospital does. We have a co-insurance. [40:22] The Lavassers say when they called their insurance company, several representatives gave them hope [40:26] the stay might be covered. They said, well, if you all can prove that Rachel is getting care that [40:32] she can't get anywhere else, then we would tend to cover that. [40:36] To get her in, we took out a second mortgage on our house. [40:40] On your house? [40:40] Yes. [40:41] That paid for Rachel's initial $60,000 20-day stay. [40:45] This was what we were searching for. [40:47] Is this, that's Rachel? [40:49] Yeah. [40:49] The specialized care her parents say finally started turning Rachel's life around. [40:54] They kept her there for a little over a year. Now, they owe about $1.3 million. [41:00] Did you keep her in the program despite the huge bills because you thought it was saving [41:07] her life? [41:08] Oh, definitely. [41:09] Absolutely. [41:09] It did save her life, yes. Yes. No doubt about it. [41:13] How do you put a price on your daughter's life? [41:16] This is insurance records. [41:17] Their insurance agreed to reimburse a small portion of the facility's cost, but despite several [41:22] appeals, not nearly as much as they'd hoped. Now the hospital is asking for payment. [41:27] This is the Shepherd Pratt campus in Towson, Maryland. [41:30] We reached out and they said they don't comment on patient care, even though Rachel signed [41:35] an authorization form allowing Shepherd Pratt to talk about her health information with [41:40] NBC News. [41:41] Rachel remains hospitalized, the family desperate for her treatment to continue, treatment they [41:46] know they can't afford, but believe Rachel can't live without. [41:51] What's your perspective on the way our mental health care system is designed? [41:56] It's a mess. And it has been one of the most frustrating and disheartening things that we've [42:03] ever dealt with. [42:05] Kate Snow, NBC News. [42:07] Powerful reporting there. Thanks to Kate. [42:10] Coming up, flag on the play when Morning News now returns. The college football controversy [42:15] that's got some of the big names in the league rethinking matchups against one lone star state [42:20] school. We'll explain up next. [42:22] With a major conflict that's brewing in college football and beyond this morning, earlier this [42:30] week, Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Soresby was granted a temporary injunction in his battle [42:37] with the NCAA. [42:38] So a Texas judge ruled that Soresby is now allowed to play college football this year after admitting [42:44] to sports betting as long as he continues to receive counseling for his gambling and participates [42:50] in a peer support program. [42:51] But that's a cause for concern at schools all across the country. Athletic directors for [42:56] other Big 12 teams are now considering whether they want to play Texas Tech at all if Soresby [43:02] is allowed to play. The NCAA has already appealed the decision of that judge. [43:07] Well, for more on this, let's bring in front of the show NBC News sports reporter Rohan Nadkarni. [43:11] Rohan, good morning. Great to have you as always. I mean, this, right, is this challenge across [43:16] the country and athletic directors across college football have already criticized this ruling. [43:21] First, walk us through why this temporary injunction is ruffling so many feathers in college sports [43:27] and beyond right now, what the reasoning was behind it, and kind of give us this primer [43:31] just generally on what Soresby did here. [43:35] Yeah, of course. I mean, first and foremost, this injunction is ruffling so many feathers [43:39] because it's allowing Brendan Soresby to play. It's allowing him to play as soon as this season. [43:44] He'll only have to serve a two-game suspension for gambling on his own game. So I think a lot of [43:50] people are upset about the precedent this could send. This was supposed to seem as kind of a red [43:55] line issue, the kind of thing that normally there's a zero tolerance policy for in most [44:01] sports. I mean, Soresby bet thousands of dollars on NCAA games. He bet on his own games while he was [44:08] a student athlete at Indiana. So, you know, this is basically opening the pathway for players [44:14] to seemingly bet on their own games and still be eligible to play. [44:17] Not have that consequence. Okay, so now it seems, but correct me if this is wrong, that in the wake [44:24] of the judge making this decision, Soresby being allowed to play for the time being anyway, that [44:29] schools are almost kind of taking this into their own hands. And one of the things here on your [44:34] screen, this reporting from The Athletic, that Big Ten athletic directors and its commissioner are [44:39] separately even from the Big 12 set to discuss a league-wide ban on, here's the big thing, [44:44] scheduling Texas Tech in all sports. That's according to two Big Ten sources. Again, [44:50] separate from Big 12 talking about not playing them in football. And that meeting is scheduled [44:54] for today. What do you think that means? How likely is a ban there? The logistics of that are [45:01] certainly tricky. I don't know if they're going to be able to get to a ban in literally all sports. [45:06] Then again, this is the NCAA. It's a wild west. The NCAA does not really have a lot of rules in [45:12] place to deal with situations like this. That's why players go to the courts, because they're [45:15] frankly often able to get favorable rulings. It is obvious that a lot of conferences, a lot of [45:21] athletic directors are looking for any avenues they can to exert pressure on Texas Tech. I think [45:27] for what they believe is to do the right thing here. They're saying, you know, what leverage do we [45:32] have over you guys to kind of force you into the right decision, which is to not play Brendan [45:38] Sorsby in games this season? Has there ever been a time when a ruling like this could have like such [45:43] widespread impact or set a precedent in college sports? Well, we've seen court rulings like this [45:50] over the last few years now kind of force the NCAA's hand. You know, Congress right now is kind of [45:55] working through legislation as it relates to things like name, image and likeness, revenue sharing, [46:01] how are players getting paid? We're seeing different senators propose different bills [46:06] in part because of court rulings that have opened the door for players to get paid. So [46:11] right now I would say there's a real vacuum at the top of the NCAA. We think of it as this big [46:15] organization, but the truth is they do not have a lot of rules in place to deal with things like [46:20] compensation, eligibility, et cetera. Those things have often been settled through the courts, [46:25] whether it's state law. Now, you know, they're lobbying for federal law. So this, this kind of [46:32] stuff comes under the courts often. We have not really seen something like this, where it was like [46:36] a retired Lubbock, Texas judge who gave a ruling like this, that I think a lot of some of these other [46:43] rulings we've seen in terms of like players getting paid, the colleges had some anticipation that was [46:48] possible. This one really surprised a lot of people. Rohan Nagarney, thank you so much as always for [46:53] being with us. Well, coming up, forget about those airline points. We're introducing you to a beloved [46:58] school bus driver who's racked up her fair share of miles all before retiring at the very top of her [47:04] game. Now her Missouri community is given a little love back. We'll explain next. We are going to end [47:13] this hour with a beloved bus driver in Missouri who's driven more than a million miles throughout her [47:18] career. For 27 years, she showed up for her students every day. So it's no surprise that her [47:23] retirement stopped traffic. Anchor Mike Bush from our St. Louis affiliate was there for her send-off. [47:29] If you want to know how much a person matters, watch how people say goodbye. For 27 years, [47:41] Carolyn Taylor was the first face these kids saw every morning. Today, they wanted to be the last [47:47] faces she'd never forget. She greets us with a warmest smile every time. I'm going to miss you guys. [47:53] She started as a bus monitor back in 1997. I'm like, no, no. Come on, Carolyn. It's time to get your [48:01] license. Since then, it's been the same route, same stops, and same Carolyn. Miss Taylor is like part of [48:11] our family. She's the best. And she knows every kid, every parent, every everything. Lisa Ross has [48:19] four kids who rode her bus. She loved Miss Taylor so much that 19 years ago, she started an annual [48:26] bus stop bash for everyone at her bus stop. See you tomorrow. The bus stop bash is donuts and chocolate [48:33] milk on one of the last days of school. Miss Taylor made it her business to know the kids' names [48:38] and their siblings and their stories. And when things got rowdy in the back, Miss Taylor had a system. [48:46] I have a timeout seat right here, and I have one on the other side. Transportation director [48:53] Joe Griffin calls her the grandmother of the entire department. The biggest thing is I'm going [48:58] to miss her dependability. She's always at work on time before we even get into the office in the [49:03] morning. She actually wanted to retire a few years ago. But the kids kept saying, Miss Taylor, [49:10] please don't go. Please don't go. So I stayed. I stayed. I stayed. And I stayed. [49:16] But this was the day when she couldn't stay any longer. And when they brought her inside Spady [49:22] one last time, what was said was what everyone was feeling. We're going to miss you. I'm going [49:29] to miss you guys. Spady's mascot is a turtle, so the school gave her one. Oh, that is beautiful. [49:39] After she gave them something harder to sculpt, the kind of kindness that stays with a kid forever. [49:45] By our very rough math, Miss Taylor drove more than a million miles over her career, [49:52] enough to circle the globe 46 times. She turned 70 in December, has a need to fix, [50:03] and a trip to Dubai she's been dreaming about. See you later. See you. [50:09] But when asked what she'd miss most about Route L10. [50:13] I may come to work feeling bad, but do you know those kids say something and that pain go away? [50:20] Seen and talk for me. [50:24] A million miles, 27 years. Turns out for Carolyn Taylor, the best thing about driving a bus [50:33] is the people who get on it. [50:38] Okay. Was that not an incredible story? Our thanks to Mike Bush for that report. And Miss Carolyn says [50:42] she's excited for retirement, but she plans to try and come back to the school occasionally as a [50:48] volunteer. Of course she does. That's amazing. That's going to do it for this hour of Morning [50:51] News Now. Stay with us, though. The news continues right now. [50:54] Good morning. Thank you so much for kicking off your Wednesday with us. I'm Savannah Sellers. [51:10] Joe's on assignment today. Right now on Morning News Now, a trading fire. President Trump following [51:15] through on his vow to retaliate against Iran after the downing of a U.S. Army attack helicopter near the [51:21] Strait of Hormuz. American forces launching new strikes on Iran in what the military is calling a, [51:27] quote, proportional response. Where the conflict stands this morning, coming up. [51:32] Setting the stage for November. Results for several key primary races rolling in overnight, [51:38] including in Maine, where Democrats are hoping a political novice can help them flip a key Senate [51:44] seat this fall. How he came out on top for Democrats, despite several scandals. [51:48] If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics and change our country, [51:55] then you must also believe that people can change. And in California, the matchup for [52:02] governor is finally set more than one week after Election Day. We have results from those races and [52:07] others across the country. Plus is too, too many. A team of scientists is advising Americans have no [52:16] more than one alcoholic drink per day while they're updating previous guidelines and saying that [52:22] less is best messaging does not go far enough. That's later this hour. And finally, Queen on the [52:29] Queens Club Court. Serena Williams making a winning return to professional tennis nearly four years [52:34] after stepping away from the sport. The doubles win showing she still has what it takes to be a [52:39] champion as we wait to see where her comeback career goes next. All these women coming back and just [52:46] dominating. It's incredible to see. Well, we're going to begin this hour with the U.S. military [52:50] launching new strikes against Iran in response to the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter [52:56] that was patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz. The helicopter's two crew members were rescued safely [53:01] as the investigation into what happened continues this morning. President Trump says it was shot down [53:06] and vowed to retaliate, as we've seen. Well, Iran responded to that retaliation with new strikes [53:12] launching attacks on U.S. targets across the Middle East. Iran's Revolutionary Guard says this [53:17] footage we're showing you is showing missiles being launched at U.S. bases. NBC News, though, [53:22] cannot independently confirm when or where that video was shot. Iran says it will, quote, [53:27] need to assess the situation before it can move forward with peace talks to end the more than [53:33] three-month-long conflict. NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel is following all this back [53:38] and forth. He has the latest for us from Jerusalem. Richard, good morning. [53:41] A U.S. official tells NBC News this morning that Iran fired multiple missiles and drones toward U.S. [53:48] bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain. There are no reports of casualties. And for now, [53:53] it appears this U.S.-Iran exchange of fire has been contained. [53:59] The United States announced it retaliated overnight to Iran's downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter [54:05] with a drone that caused no American casualties. CENTCOM said U.S. Air Force and Navy fighter jets [54:12] attacked Iranian air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the [54:18] Strait of Hormuz with precision munitions, calling the operation proportional and in response to recent [54:25] attacks on American forces and international shipping. Critically, there were no American [54:30] strikes on major Iranian cities or leaders. Iran, as it had promised, returned fire. [54:37] The Revolutionary Guard releasing this footage, which NBC News cannot verify, [54:42] and claiming Iran carried out 21 attacks against U.S. military locations across the region. [54:49] Bahrain, home of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, said Iran fired missiles and drones in a heinous attack, [54:55] many of them shot down. And other countries in the region that host U.S. forces, [54:59] including Jordan and Kuwait, said they intercepted incoming missiles. There were no reports of [55:05] casualties. The wider war across the Middle East did not reignite, at least for now. [55:11] President Trump told the Wall Street Journal he thought Iran's downing of the helicopter Monday, [55:16] quote, wasn't a big deal. The pilots were rescued from the water by a sea drone like this one, [55:22] climbing onto it to whisk them to safety. But it was a very close call. President Trump has repeatedly [55:29] said a red line for restarting major combat operations would be if Americans were killed [55:34] by Iran. Have they killed U.S. troops? I think I would do that very quickly. [55:38] In retaliation for the downing of that American helicopter, a U.S. official says the U.S. military [55:44] fired on about 20 locations inside Iran. All right, Richard, thank you so much. Well, [55:50] back here at home, results are coming in from yesterday's primary elections. In Maine, [55:55] Graham Plattner won the Democratic Senate nomination despite a series of scandals. [55:59] He will face off against Republican incumbent Susan Collins in November for a Senate seat that [56:04] is a must-win for Democrats hoping to regain control of the chamber. NBC News Chief Capitol [56:09] Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles is there in Maine with the latest for us. Ryan, good morning. [56:15] Hey, Savannah, good morning. And you're right, this win for Graham Plattner last night was not [56:19] much of a surprise despite all of those scandals. And what we found talking to voters here was that [56:24] in many ways those scandals strengthened his bond with the Democratic base of the party. [56:29] Well, now Plattner's headed to the general election prepared to take his progressive message into [56:35] November. This morning, the stage is set for a bruising general election battle in Maine [56:41] with political novice Graham Plattner capturing the Democratic nomination aiming to unseat [56:47] five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins this fall. She serves Donald Trump. She serves the Epstein [56:54] class. She serves her corporate donors. She does not serve us. And so we will [57:02] defeat Susan Collins. The Oysterman and Marine vet has energized progressives despite facing multiple [57:10] scandals, alluding to the controversies overnight. If you believe, as I do, that we can change our [57:17] politics and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change. His campaign [57:23] confirming last month that he sent multiple women sexually explicit text messages at the beginning [57:28] of his marriage. And last week, several former girlfriends told the New York Times Plattner's [57:33] behavior was sometimes toxic and unsettling. There are some allegations in this piece that I just want [57:38] to be kind of unequivocal about are simply not true. Collins seizing on the reports. [57:44] Allegations against Graham Plattner are extremely troubling and serious. Some Democrats here told [57:53] us they're conflicted and worried the scandals could haunt him. If the political machine [57:59] in Washington gets after him like they get after people, he could have a hard time. But many are [58:07] still backing Plattner. I hate saying this, but sometimes I feel like it's the lesser of two evils [58:11] when you come to these things. Across the country, another key matchup taking shape. [58:15] NBC News projects Republican former Fox host Steve Hilton will face off against former Biden [58:20] Cabinet Secretary Javier Becerra. We hope that folks stay engaged and that we have an even bigger [58:26] turnout for the November general election. The British-born Hilton has been backed by President [58:31] Trump. We need a governor that doesn't wish for things that actually makes things happen. [58:36] With coast-to-coast showdowns ahead for fall's midterm elections. [58:41] And of course, we got results in Maine and California. There were also primaries in other [58:48] parts of the country, including South Carolina, where Lindsey Graham won his primary as he seeks [58:53] a fifth term. He did have a wealthy challenger who was running to his right, but Graham was able to [58:58] hold him off and get over the 50 percent threshold in South Carolina. Graham expected to coast to victory [59:04] in the general election as South Carolina being a very red state. But, Savannah, back here in Maine, [59:09] this is a state and a race that could decide who wins the Senate majority in the fall elections. [59:16] Savannah? [59:16] Certainly one to watch. By the way, Ryan, gorgeous where you are. Are we getting you back? You stay in there. [59:22] Yeah, well, we might stay here forever, Savannah. [59:24] You should. While you're there. Ryan, thanks so much. [59:27] All right. This morning, Microsoft founder Bill Gates is set to testify before the House Oversight Committee [59:32] as part of their ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Now, Gates has acknowledged [59:37] meeting Epstein multiple times, but denies any knowledge of the disgraced former financier's [59:42] crimes. NBC News Now anchor Hallie Jackson has the details. Hallie, good morning. [59:47] Hey there, Savannah. This is one of the most highly anticipated interviews yet for the House [59:51] Oversight Committee involving one of the most prominent figures in the worlds of philanthropy [59:55] and business, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, whose spokesperson tells NBC he welcomes the [1:00:00] opportunity to appear before the committee. He's expected to face a slew of questions about his [1:00:05] relationship to Jeffrey Epstein as lawmakers work to build a fuller picture of Epstein's network. [1:00:11] This morning, one of the biggest names in business set to face questions about his ties to Jeffrey [1:00:16] Epstein. I've not accused Bill Gates of any wrongdoing. Just want to ask what he knew and if he saw certain [1:00:22] things. Bill Gates appears thousands of times in messages and photos in the Justice Department's [1:00:28] Epstein files. In a series of 2013 emails Epstein sent to himself, he appeared to suggest Gates was [1:00:34] having an affair and seeking illicit drugs. Allegations a Gates spokesperson has called [1:00:39] absolutely absurd and completely false. Overnight, a spokesman says, while Gates never witnessed or [1:00:46] participated in any of Epstein's illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee's [1:00:51] questions to support their important work. Gates's ex-wife, Melinda, this spring describing very [1:00:57] painful memories when asked about her former husband and his ties to Epstein. Whatever questions remain [1:01:03] there of what I don't, can't even begin to know all of it, those questions are for those people and [1:01:09] for even my ex-husband. Gates has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, but [1:01:14] he's expressed regret for the relationship, apologizing to Gates Foundation staff earlier this year, [1:01:20] saying in part, it was a huge mistake to spend time with Epstein. His ties to the convicted sex [1:01:25] offender date back to 2011, three years after Epstein's sweetheart Florida plea deal, which he [1:01:30] addressed on Today in 2022. I had a goal of raising money for global health. I didn't realize that [1:01:38] in a meeting with him almost downplayed the incredibly awful things he did. The House Oversight [1:01:45] Committee Tuesday also questioning Epstein's longtime secretary, Leslie Groff. Groff, described as [1:01:52] soft-spoken by one lawmaker who sounded skeptical of parts of her testimony related to Epstein. [1:01:57] She worked for him for 18 years, but maintains that she did not have a relationship. Well, [1:02:06] she wouldn't call it a relationship. So it is highly inconsistent. [1:02:10] Groff told lawmakers she witnessed no explicit sexual behavior and has not been accused of wrongdoing. [1:02:14] As for Gates, he's expected on Capitol Hill later today. And given the many questions lawmakers say [1:02:19] they have for him, it's likely his testimony will last hours into tonight. Savannah? [1:02:24] All right, Hallie, thank you. For more, let's bring in Ben Leder. He's a Washington correspondent for [1:02:28] the L.A. Times and has reported on Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking network, his financial fraud, [1:02:33] and his political influence. Thanks so much for being here. Okay, Bill Gates not facing any charges, [1:02:39] as Hallie mentioned, but has, of course, admitted to knowing Epstein and the way he describes the nature [1:02:45] of the relationship is using him as a fundraiser. What do you think Congress hopes to learn from [1:02:50] him during today's closed-door meeting? Well, I think certainly they're going to be curious whether [1:02:55] Bill Gates saw any illegal sexual activity. But I don't necessarily have high hopes that that will [1:03:04] be something they learn. With that said, I mean, the back-to-back of Leslie Groff and Bill Gates [1:03:09] are important for illustrating the power that Jeffrey Epstein had, the power that allowed Jeffrey Epstein [1:03:15] to be a man who could abuse more than 1,000 women and girls. It is because of his powerful [1:03:23] relationships with people like Bill Gates that Jeffrey Epstein was able to both lure in many of [1:03:29] the vulnerable girls that he abused, and then he used the threat of turning his network of powerful [1:03:34] friends against them to keep them complying with what he wanted and keep them in his orbit. So I think [1:03:42] you know, I think that this could illustrate how Jeffrey Epstein was able to maintain ties with the [1:03:48] world's most powerful people, even after, as Hallie Jackson noted, he had already been a convicted [1:03:53] sex offender, which really boggles the mind as to, you know, how all these people continue to consort [1:03:57] with him. Well, I think, Ben, also something that boggles the mind is now that we have this trove of [1:04:01] emails, you could see some communication, you can see mentions of people. How much do you think that [1:04:06] comes up today? I think it absolutely does. And I think it's important to remember that Bill Gates [1:04:10] is the most prominent Microsoft executive that had a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, [1:04:15] but he's not the only one. And other Microsoft executives had very close relationships with [1:04:19] Jeffrey Epstein. I don't know if they'll delve into that, but, you know, even if Gates could claim [1:04:23] that he had no knowledge of the behavior, the question is, did people in his close orbit have [1:04:28] knowledge of that behavior? I don't know whether the committee will probe that, but that's certainly [1:04:32] one of the questions I would be asking, because it wasn't just Bill Gates at Microsoft. It was several [1:04:36] executives at Microsoft. Also, the New York Times are reporting that Gates has reportedly retained [1:04:42] Jake Greenberg. He's the former top investigative counsel to the House Oversight Committee. Again, [1:04:48] he's not facing any charges here, but this is to help prepare him for these questions that he will [1:04:52] face in this closed-door session. That's according to two people affiliated with the Gates Foundation, [1:04:57] but that has ethics experts concerned. Why? Well, I mean, he's taking a page out of the Epstein [1:05:04] playbook, which is to say, you know, you hire attorneys with personal connections to the [1:05:09] people who are investigating you. The reason why this raises ethical concerns is because, [1:05:14] you know, if you're a former member of Congress or staffer, you have a certain cooling off period [1:05:19] after which you're not supposed to be doing any business that would be connected to your former [1:05:23] employer. The problem is that there are a lot of ways in which you can influence something without [1:05:29] officially running afoul of those rules. So he could be providing Epstein all sorts of [1:05:34] I'm sorry, not Epstein, Bill Gates, all sorts of strategy, explaining to him, you know, [1:05:38] the questions he might answer. But if he's not explicitly dealing with the committee itself, [1:05:43] he might technically not be running afoul of the ethics rules. But I think it really gets to the [1:05:48] spirit of what the cooling off period is supposed to be about, which is saying that you're not [1:05:52] supposed to be able to profit off of the inside knowledge you have from your time working in [1:05:57] Congress. So this is part of this larger investigation by this committee into Epstein, [1:06:04] into who knew what when. Gates is the 15th person the committee will question. What's next in this [1:06:10] process? How many people will be questioned? Well, I think the committee, Democrats on the [1:06:15] committee have made it clear that they want to bring Todd Blanche back. They want to bring Cash Patel [1:06:19] back. You know, that's partially because, you know, when Pam Bondi came before the committee a couple [1:06:23] of weeks ago, you know, she basically said, hey, Todd Blanche is the guy who knows everything about [1:06:28] what happened with the Epstein files rollout. It wasn't me. And Cash Patel also was a part of that [1:06:32] as well. But the other thing is, you know, another former Epstein assistant who claims that she was a [1:06:39] victim of his abuse, Sarah Kellan, came in a few weeks ago, and she named some names of men who she [1:06:44] said abused her. And the committee has actually passed those names on to the Department of Justice. [1:06:49] So I think it's also going to be interesting to see what the Department of Justice does with that [1:06:52] information and whether we see them actually begin to act on the committee's recommendations. [1:06:58] All right. Ben, thank you so much for joining us. I appreciate you walking us through this this [1:07:01] morning. And now let's get to a harrowing scene off the Florida panhandle. A Navy-based employee is [1:07:06] in critical condition this morning after he was attacked by a shark while swimming in a marina. [1:07:11] And this one's all on video, but this is the second shark attack in that area within a week. [1:07:16] NBC News correspondent Emily Akeda joins us with the details. Emily, good morning. [1:07:19] Savannah, good morning to you. That man who was bit is now recovering from [1:07:23] surgery after initially being rushed to the hospital in critical condition, the result of [1:07:27] the first shark attack ever at the Panama City Naval facility. It was briefly captured on camera in a [1:07:33] rare, and we should warn, disturbing glimpse at the swimmer's desperate struggle with the predator. [1:07:40] This morning, a man is hospitalized in Florida after this terrifying attack off the panhandle. [1:07:45] You can hear desperate calls for help and see a fin breaking through the water [1:07:52] as video captures the shark attack at a naval base in Panama City. [1:07:57] You said a shark attack? Yes, sir. I'm looking at it right now. [1:08:03] Authorities say the victim, a civilian employee at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, [1:08:07] had been snorkeling with a colleague in the marina Monday during his lunch break when the shark struck. [1:08:12] His arm is severed off. It's there, but it's not. [1:08:16] The base's commanding officer praising witnesses and first responders. [1:08:19] There were bystanders who was able to render aid during the time of the incident. [1:08:26] Was anyone else injured? [1:08:28] No other injuries outside of our teammate. [1:08:30] The attack marks the second shark bite in a few days along the panhandle. [1:08:35] A helicopter responding near Fort Pickens, where officials say a shark bit a fisherman trying to cut it loose. [1:08:41] Scientists say many sharks swim closer to beaches this time of year. [1:08:45] They move into this coastal areas to give birth to their young. [1:08:48] While farther up the coast, possible shark sightings from a nature trail in Brooklyn to across Cape Cod, [1:08:55] where the return of the great white has been on full display over the past week. [1:08:59] I didn't know it was a white to begin with. [1:09:01] A fisherman in Nantucket Sunday making an unintended catch, [1:09:05] hooking what experts called a juvenile great white before returning it to the ocean. [1:09:09] Saw like the bottom of its peck fin and it had white and black spots. [1:09:13] I just knew that's a white shark and just kick into like serious mode. [1:09:17] Get this in, get it, get it back, do this right. [1:09:20] And while sightings are on the rise with summer around the corner, [1:09:24] experts say actual shark attacks are extremely rare. [1:09:28] And the reality is that the likelihood is very, very low. [1:09:31] I mean, you're more likely to be injured by your lawnmower. [1:09:33] You're more likely to be injured by getting bit by a dog than there is being attacked by a shark. [1:09:40] And we could soon see change around how shark attacks are communicated. [1:09:43] Something called Lulu's Law, named after a shark attack survivor, [1:09:46] would have authorities quickly transmit emergency alerts to phones in the area of a shark attack. [1:09:51] So similar to alerts during severe weather or in the event of a missing child, [1:09:54] the legislation is on President Trump's desk after passing the House and Senate. [1:09:58] But it would kind of be sent out like when we get that flood alert. [1:10:00] Exactly. Yes. Yeah. [1:10:02] That's a great idea. [1:10:03] To really help prevent like repeat attacks or within a short amount of time. [1:10:08] Absolutely. Oh my gosh, that's a great. [1:10:09] I mean, I'd want to know if this would just happen if you're at the beach. [1:10:12] Absolutely. All right, Emily, thank you. [1:10:13] Thanks, Savannah. [1:10:14] Well, just two months after Artemis 2 splashed back down to Earth, [1:10:17] there's a new group of astronauts set to take that next giant leap at the helm of Artemis 3. [1:10:23] And this will all be to perform some critical tests in space. [1:10:25] NBC News senior correspondent Tom Costello had a chance to talk with the astronauts. [1:10:29] We are all jealous of him. [1:10:31] He joins us from Johnson Space Center in Houston. [1:10:33] Tom, good morning. [1:10:36] Hey, Savannah, there is a buzz here at NASA following, of course, [1:10:40] the euphoria of the Artemis 2 mission around the moon. [1:10:44] And so it was a packed house here when they rolled out and announced who the Artemis 3 crew members will be. [1:10:51] All of them military vets. [1:10:53] Their mission is different. [1:10:54] They're not going to the moon, [1:10:55] but it is just as critical to putting humans back on the surface of the moon. [1:11:00] The Artemis 2 crew, comrade, hands you the baton. [1:11:06] You got the controls. [1:11:07] With both a literal and a symbolic passing of the baton, [1:11:11] NASA's next Artemis mission is now officially underway. [1:11:14] The four-man crew aiming to launch into orbit next year includes two former space station commanders, [1:11:22] NASA's Randy Bresnik and pilot Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, [1:11:27] along with mission specialist Dr. Frank Rubio, who, with 371 days, holds NASA's record for the longest single space flight, [1:11:37] and mission specialist Andre Douglas, a retired Coast Guard officer who trained for the last Artemis mission. [1:11:43] Andre, you've never been to space. [1:11:44] You came close with Artemis 2. [1:11:46] What is it like to have spent so much time training for Artemis 2, you didn't go because you're the backup, but now you're going? [1:11:53] During that time, it was hard to figure out, like, how do you balance getting ready to go, not go, all that stuff. [1:11:58] But, I mean, to go now is just fantastic. [1:12:01] While they will ride in the same style, Orion capsule, unlike the last Artemis mission, [1:12:06] this crew will stay in Earth's orbit, testing rendezvous and docking with potential lunar landers. [1:12:12] Are you a little disappointed that you guys aren't going to the moon, you're going to be orbiting the Earth? [1:12:17] Not at all. We don't get to a lunar landing without this flight. [1:12:20] Both SpaceX and Blue Origin, which are building those landers, have experienced recent setbacks, [1:12:26] from challenges with SpaceX's Starship to that massive explosion on the launch pad for Blue Origin. [1:12:33] Still, both companies and NASA are confident in their timeline. [1:12:37] NASA Chief Jared Isaacman. [1:12:39] You're not pulling back on the throttle. You are still planning on 2027 for Artemis 3? [1:12:44] A hundred percent. [1:12:45] Just like the 1960s, NASA faces competition to put astronauts back on the moon. [1:12:50] But this time, it's with China, which hopes to also land astronauts by 2030. [1:12:56] Are you confident America can get there first? [1:12:58] Of course I am, because we've done it before. [1:13:00] Doing the near impossible, achieving the near impossible is our specialty. [1:13:03] We will do it again, I have no doubt. [1:13:05] But along with those docking tests, the crew will also test another critical element, [1:13:10] new suits designed by Axiom Space and Prada. [1:13:16] All of it, NASA hopes, will inspire future generations to go farther and deeper. [1:13:21] Adventure is what we all love. [1:13:23] And space, pushing the boundaries, and especially a mission like this, [1:13:26] where we're testing new systems, is a huge adventure. [1:13:29] Yeah, Dr. Frank Rubio there. [1:13:32] They actually had to ask, or asked me, Telemundo, asked me to ask him a question in Spanish. [1:13:38] Thankfully, he understood my broken Spanish and responded appropriately in Spanish. [1:13:43] Listen, Savannah, you know, a lot of pushback online about the fact that [1:13:46] this crew, of course, is all male. [1:13:49] Where are the females? [1:13:50] Now, there are about three female astronauts to every four male astronauts here at NASA. [1:13:55] And NASA says that they assign missions based on the crew's expertise for that mission. [1:14:01] And while we've had female shuttle commanders and space station commanders and SpaceX commanders, [1:14:07] in this case, they felt like these four guys are the ones that they needed for this particular mission. [1:14:13] And listen, future missions will also have women as well. [1:14:15] People are probably asking a lot about that because Christina Koch got a lot of fans [1:14:19] after the last Artemis mission that we just saw while she was up there. [1:14:22] She's a rock star. [1:14:23] She sure is. [1:14:25] She's awesome. [1:14:25] All right, Tom, thanks so much. [1:14:27] Well, we are tracking some severe storms over the next few days from the central plains to the Great Lakes. [1:14:31] For more details, let's get a look at our morning news now. [1:14:34] Weather with meteorologist Raphael Miranda. [1:14:36] Raph, good morning. [1:14:37] Hey, good morning, Savannah. [1:14:38] Yeah, we're tracking storms already early on this Wednesday morning across Wisconsin. [1:14:41] Some of them severe, very damaging winds, lots of lightning and heavy rain. [1:14:45] Moving through, making it a rough morning commute. [1:14:48] Now, the threat later on this afternoon includes Chicago. [1:14:50] Again, Wisconsin, another round of storms fires up. [1:14:53] This one could contain some tornadoes. [1:14:55] Watching out for that threat later on today. [1:14:57] EF zero to EF two tornadoes, a possibility during the afternoon and evening. [1:15:02] And of course, the very heavy rain means flooding is a possibility as well. [1:15:06] Overall, travel will be difficult in the Midwest today and again tomorrow. [1:15:10] Your severe threat for tomorrow includes Chicago. [1:15:12] In fact, 103 million at risk because we start to see that severe threat expand to the northeast, including New York City, Philadelphia and D.C. as well. [1:15:21] As we head move to Friday now, more storms expected in the northeast, including the I-95 corridor, especially late in the afternoon into the early evening. [1:15:29] The other big story, the heat, it's expanding. [1:15:32] It's been across the middle of the country here in the northeast. [1:15:34] We've had some beautiful weather, but look at the high temperatures and what it's going to feel like. [1:15:38] Feel like 104 in places like Texarkana. [1:15:41] St. Louis feels like 98 degrees today. [1:15:44] Tomorrow, the heat becomes dangerous in the northeast. [1:15:47] We're talking about feels like temperatures. [1:15:49] Heat indices over 100 degrees. [1:15:51] D.C., Philadelphia, even around New York City. [1:15:54] And this heat extends all the way down to the southeast as well. [1:15:58] What about the weekend? [1:15:59] Of course, we have the World Cup action around New York City area. [1:16:03] It will stay hot throughout the weekend. [1:16:06] Nineties from Friday through Sunday, Savannah. [1:16:09] Thankfully, the humidity does back off. [1:16:11] So we're looking at a hot and dry weekend ahead. [1:16:14] But the heat will be dangerous tomorrow and Friday. [1:16:16] Heat advisories in effect for New York City and Philadelphia. [1:16:19] It's going to feel like 100 degrees. [1:16:22] Okay. [1:16:23] Get ready now. [1:16:23] I guess that's pretty high for early June. [1:16:25] It's a lot. [1:16:26] It's too little. [1:16:27] Yeah, yeah. [1:16:27] Too soon. [1:16:28] Exactly. [1:16:29] Thank you. [1:16:30] All right. [1:16:30] This is much more to come here on Morning News Now. [1:16:32] Later this hour, war's wider impact. [1:16:34] We're taking a look at the new inflation numbers, showing just how much the war with Iran has [1:16:38] affected consumer prices here at home. [1:16:40] Up first, though, the Pope's blessing as we follow Pope Leo's trip through Spain. [1:16:44] We're getting a look at the masterpiece he is set to bestow his blessing on [1:16:48] in Barcelona today. [1:16:50] That's up next. [1:16:54] Welcome back. [1:16:55] Pope Leo XIV is set to celebrate Mass today inside Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia, [1:17:00] where he'll also bless the Basilica's newly completed Tower of Jesus Christ. [1:17:05] The Mass comes as the pontiff continues his trip through Spain, [1:17:08] using the moment to deliver messages of peace, compassion for migrants, [1:17:12] and unity at a time of deep divisions around the world. [1:17:15] NBC News International correspondent Molly Hunter is in Barcelona [1:17:18] with a preview of today's historic event. [1:17:20] Molly, oh, what a shot. [1:17:22] Look at that. [1:17:22] Good morning. [1:17:25] Savannah, good morning. [1:17:27] Bon dia from Barcelona to you. [1:17:29] Now, 2026 was always pegged as the kind of symbolic completion of the great Sagrada Familia. [1:17:35] It's been under construction for the last 144 years. [1:17:38] As you mentioned, Pope Leo is in town. [1:17:40] He will celebrate Mass inside. [1:17:42] He will then bless the newest, the tallest, the latest spire, [1:17:45] the Tower of Jesus Christ, and it is topped with a show-stopping, [1:17:49] multi-dimensional cross that you can see from anywhere in the city. [1:17:53] Take a look. [1:17:54] It's the most famous unfinished building in the world, [1:17:58] Barcelona's soaring Basilica Sagrada Familia. [1:18:01] And now, from nearly every angle, [1:18:03] the searing Spanish sun reflects off the church's newly completed Tower of Jesus Christ. [1:18:08] The massive, multi-dimensional cross shimmering above the city, [1:18:12] the crowning achievement of Antony Gaudi's extraordinary vision. [1:18:16] And later today, Pope Leo will bless the Tower, [1:18:18] celebrating Mass 16 years after Pope Benedict consecrated the Basilica. [1:18:23] It will be the highlight of the Pontiff's week in Spain. [1:18:26] His Sunday Mass in Madrid drew more than a million worshippers, [1:18:30] and on his flight to Barcelona, he joined the pilots in the cockpit. [1:18:34] Here in Catalonia, one of the country's most secular regions, [1:18:37] a reminder this global icon is a deeply sacred one, too, [1:18:42] attracting more tourists than believers. [1:18:45] In 2025, five million visitors and more Americans than any other nationality. [1:18:50] And now, an American pope, too. [1:18:54] It's exciting. [1:18:54] He's from Chicago. [1:18:55] He's a Midwesterner like us, and so it's cool that he'll be here. [1:19:01] Part of the Basilica's enduring allure [1:19:03] is the chance to bear witness to the church's ongoing construction, [1:19:07] now the tallest in Europe. [1:19:09] So take a look at these statues. [1:19:10] It's really cool. [1:19:11] Like the trumpeters, for example, those statues, [1:19:14] Gaudi actually modeled them after real people, [1:19:17] ordinary people that he met in this neighborhood. [1:19:19] Last fall, NBC News was given exclusive access [1:19:22] to the team tackling the final piece of this architectural puzzle, [1:19:26] a complex project involving more than two dozen architects [1:19:29] and a hundred builders, interpreting, adapting, [1:19:33] and reimagining Gaudi's vision with modern know-how. [1:19:37] Gaudi wanted the cross to resemble a crystal. [1:19:40] It required quite a lot of experimentation [1:19:43] and physical testing for the material [1:19:46] to get as close as possible as what we believe [1:19:48] it was Gaudi's intentions. [1:19:50] And today, a sense of excitement. [1:19:53] The nervousness of having such a big celebration, [1:19:57] it's a bit overwhelming. [1:19:58] It's a great honor, obviously, [1:20:00] that we can present the Tower of Jesus [1:20:02] to the city and to the world, [1:20:04] and the Pope himself will give the blessing. [1:20:07] So much excitement here. [1:20:10] Now, Savannah, the Pope had some competition [1:20:12] over the weekend. [1:20:12] Bad Bunny also in Spain. [1:20:14] He was performing in Madrid. [1:20:15] Now, according to the Vatican, [1:20:17] the two met. [1:20:18] No pictures have emerged yet, [1:20:20] but I bet they have some crossover fans. [1:20:21] Maybe there is a future collab in the works. [1:20:24] Savannah? [1:20:25] I love it. [1:20:26] Oh, my goodness. [1:20:26] I just, I can't get over that shot, Molly. [1:20:28] I love it. [1:20:29] Enjoy Barcelona. [1:20:29] Thank you so much. [1:20:31] Well, on the tech front, [1:20:31] we've got news from AI giant Anthropic. [1:20:33] So they have just released [1:20:35] a new artificial intelligence model [1:20:37] that's apparently so powerful, [1:20:39] the company had to apply significant guardrails [1:20:41] before making it available to the public. [1:20:43] It's called Fable 5, [1:20:45] and it uses the same technology [1:20:47] from the company's Mythos model. [1:20:48] As you may recall, though, earlier this year, [1:20:50] that model spooked the government [1:20:52] and cyber experts for its ability [1:20:54] to find and exploit vulnerabilities. [1:20:57] Now, some experts warn of greater safety risks [1:21:00] as AI systems get more and more powerful. [1:21:02] Oh, boy, I've got a lot of questions [1:21:04] for NBC News AI reporter, Jared Perlow, [1:21:06] who's here on set with us this morning. [1:21:08] Jared, great to see you. [1:21:09] Okay, let's just start on Fable 5. [1:21:11] What does it do? [1:21:12] How is it different from these other ones? [1:21:13] What makes it so powerful? [1:21:15] Absolutely. [1:21:15] So this is the next iteration [1:21:17] of Anthropik's Claude family of AI models. [1:21:21] So if people at home are familiar, [1:21:22] these are the systems that underlie [1:21:24] the chatbot called Claude, [1:21:26] a competitor to OpenAI's ChatGPT. [1:21:28] So this is basically a really souped-up chatbot, [1:21:31] but now it has even more capabilities. [1:21:33] It can do so many other tasks. [1:21:35] So Anthropik says that this is the most powerful AI model [1:21:38] ever released to the general public. [1:21:40] So they're basically saying we've crossed the Rubicon. [1:21:42] I'll just read out their statement here. [1:21:44] It says that Fable 5's capabilities [1:21:45] exceed those of any model ever made generally available, [1:21:49] state-of-the-art on a variety [1:21:51] of these different benchmarks of AI capability, [1:21:53] especially on software engineering, [1:21:55] knowledge work, vision, scientific research, [1:21:56] many other areas. [1:21:58] So we're basically saying this is, you know, [1:22:00] the newest thing in the AI world. [1:22:02] You can kind of imagine, like, you know, [1:22:04] you used to be driving like a Ford or, I don't know, [1:22:06] a Honda, and now a Lamborghini strapped [1:22:08] to a rocket comes out. [1:22:09] That's basically what Anthropik says [1:22:11] we're dealing with now. [1:22:11] So, you know, I would say to viewers at home, [1:22:13] if they haven't, you know, been hands-on [1:22:15] with an AI system in a while, try it out. [1:22:18] You know, the systems that we're talking about today [1:22:19] are not the same systems. [1:22:21] They're much more capable than the systems [1:22:22] that existed a year ago. [1:22:23] Wow. [1:22:24] I mean, it feels like this happened so fast. [1:22:26] We were just talking about the last one [1:22:27] that had the government concern, [1:22:29] and it's already been able to rapidly advance. [1:22:31] Is that a concern? [1:22:32] Yeah, well, we're seeing, you know, the timelines, [1:22:34] the iteration between new models releases [1:22:36] just shrink time and time again. [1:22:38] And people are worried, you know, [1:22:40] Anthropik even says that people should be worried [1:22:42] about how capable this new model is. [1:22:44] So as these models become more capable, [1:22:46] they say that they can be used [1:22:47] for a range of cyber attacks [1:22:49] and, you know, negative biology situations [1:22:51] or impacts as well. [1:22:52] So think about cyber attacks on banks, [1:22:54] on power grids, [1:22:55] on other critical infrastructure like hospitals. [1:22:57] You know, hackers could, you know, [1:22:59] maybe tank a hospital system. [1:23:00] But also Anthropik is worried [1:23:02] that bad actors might be able to use these systems [1:23:04] to illicitly design bioweapons. [1:23:05] You know, think about the next generation of COVID [1:23:08] or something like that, [1:23:08] but even more lethal. [1:23:09] So all those bad things that you just said, [1:23:12] do the guardrails that they put in place, [1:23:13] does it mean you can't do those things? [1:23:15] Or can you still find a way? [1:23:17] So, well, we're going to see, you know, [1:23:19] this just came out yesterday. [1:23:20] I think these are so powerful [1:23:21] that bad actors are going to see [1:23:22] if they can find a way. [1:23:23] You know, the newest tool, [1:23:24] if, you know, you can extract $500 million, [1:23:26] they're going to try everything they can. [1:23:28] But Anthropik says they've put in place [1:23:30] significant guardrails. [1:23:31] So I actually tried this yesterday. [1:23:33] If you put in Fable 5, you know, [1:23:35] a range of questions about cyber attacks or biology, [1:23:37] they'll actually say, I can't answer this, [1:23:39] and they'll refer you to an older model. [1:23:40] So they basically say- [1:23:42] They should refer you to the police. [1:23:42] Exactly, yeah. [1:23:43] But so they're being really cautious about this. [1:23:45] And the Fable 5 that was released [1:23:46] to the general public [1:23:47] is not even the most capable. [1:23:49] They released another one yesterday [1:23:50] called Mythos 5 to the government, [1:23:53] to banks, to certain trusted entities [1:23:55] that only Anthropik will work with. [1:23:57] So basically the public is getting access [1:23:58] to one tier, [1:23:59] the government and other companies [1:24:01] getting access to a more powerful tier, [1:24:02] and who knows what they're working with [1:24:03] inside the company. [1:24:04] And I think such a concerning thing here, Jared, [1:24:06] is these are humans at this one company [1:24:09] deciding, you know, this is bad, [1:24:11] so we're going to pull it back. [1:24:12] Will other humans at other companies [1:24:14] make the same decisions? [1:24:16] Open AI, who's in like a pretty much [1:24:17] not at all secret battle with Anthropik, [1:24:20] including the styles of the leadership [1:24:22] who used to work together and no longer do. [1:24:25] Will they make the same decision? [1:24:26] Do they just put it out there? [1:24:27] Like how big of a concern is that, [1:24:29] that it's just these companies [1:24:31] deciding to make a decision [1:24:32] without much regulation going on? [1:24:34] The government's trying, [1:24:35] but we're not there. [1:24:36] We're not there. [1:24:36] We'll see what happens over the next couple of months. [1:24:38] I think it's a huge concern. [1:24:39] It's a critical concern [1:24:40] because these models, [1:24:41] I mean, at some point, [1:24:42] they're basically proxies for intelligence. [1:24:44] And you have these five CEOs [1:24:46] who say, you know, [1:24:47] they're being in charge [1:24:48] or they say that they should have the right [1:24:50] or, you know, [1:24:50] their products are basically [1:24:52] standing in for intelligence. [1:24:52] So they have the right to throttle [1:24:54] who gets access, who doesn't. [1:24:56] A lot of people yesterday, [1:24:57] you know, as this model was released, [1:24:59] say that we're not comfortable [1:25:00] with that concentration of power. [1:25:01] And, oh, by the way, [1:25:02] Anthropic Open AI [1:25:04] all about to go public, [1:25:05] hit the market. [1:25:06] That can't complicate anything, right? [1:25:08] No, we'll probably see that in the fall. [1:25:09] But, you know, [1:25:10] as the public gets taken this, [1:25:11] you know, people want returns [1:25:12] on their investment. [1:25:13] What does that mean for safety? [1:25:13] What does that mean for the development [1:25:14] of that concentration of power? [1:25:17] Decently scary, [1:25:17] but I think we'll be talking [1:25:18] much more before then. [1:25:19] Yeah, I think it means [1:25:20] you've got job security, Jared. [1:25:22] Thank you very much. [1:25:23] Always great to have you. [1:25:24] Coming up, [1:25:25] the former CIA officer [1:25:26] found with millions of dollars [1:25:27] in gold bars at his home [1:25:29] is now facing new allegations. [1:25:31] When we return, [1:25:31] we'll tell you what David Rush [1:25:33] is now accused of [1:25:34] and how he allegedly pulled it off. [1:25:36] You're watching Morning News Now. [1:25:38] Right now, [1:25:45] with a closer look [1:25:46] at what's making news [1:25:47] in the world of politics [1:25:47] this morning, [1:25:48] starting with Vice President Vance [1:25:49] referring Minnesota's governor [1:25:51] and attorney general [1:25:52] to the Justice Department [1:25:53] over alleged welfare fraud. [1:25:55] NBC News senior [1:25:56] national political reporter [1:25:57] Sahil Kapoor joins us [1:25:58] with more. [1:25:59] Hey, Sahil. [1:26:00] Good morning, Savannah. [1:26:01] We begin today in politics [1:26:02] with Vice President J.D. Vance [1:26:04] referring his former 2024 opponent, [1:26:06] Tim Walz, [1:26:07] the governor of Minnesota [1:26:08] to the Justice Department [1:26:09] for criminal charges [1:26:11] stemming from fraud [1:26:12] in social programs. [1:26:14] Vance cited an oversight committee [1:26:15] report by House Republicans [1:26:16] claiming they were aware [1:26:18] of this fraud [1:26:18] and didn't take steps [1:26:20] to stop it. [1:26:21] Now, a spokesperson for Walz [1:26:22] dismissed Vance's claims [1:26:24] and called the House [1:26:25] committee a joke. [1:26:27] And Minnesota AG, [1:26:28] Keith Ellison, [1:26:29] who Vance also referred, [1:26:30] called the claims unfounded [1:26:31] and a political stunt. [1:26:33] Meanwhile, [1:26:34] Social Security's trust fund [1:26:36] is projected to dip [1:26:37] into the red in 2032, [1:26:38] one year earlier than expected, [1:26:40] according to a new [1:26:41] trustees report [1:26:42] with updated projections. [1:26:44] That means Social Security [1:26:46] benefits could get cut [1:26:47] by almost one-fifth [1:26:48] automatically starting that year [1:26:50] unless Congress acts [1:26:51] to address the shortfall, [1:26:53] either by changing [1:26:53] the benefit formula [1:26:54] or by bringing in new revenues [1:26:56] to fully fund the program. [1:26:58] The future of Social Security [1:27:00] has been a decades-long debate [1:27:01] here in Washington [1:27:02] and the subject of a stalemate. [1:27:05] And finally, [1:27:06] keeping it here [1:27:07] in the District of Columbia, [1:27:08] crews were spotted [1:27:09] filling the Lincoln Memorial's [1:27:10] reflecting pool with water [1:27:12] after President Trump [1:27:13] pursued renovations [1:27:14] to repaint it blue. [1:27:16] While Trump said the project [1:27:17] would cost around [1:27:18] one and a half [1:27:19] to two million dollars, [1:27:20] federal records reviewed [1:27:21] by PBS [1:27:22] and The Washington Post [1:27:23] indicate that about [1:27:24] 14 million dollars [1:27:25] in contracts [1:27:26] have already been awarded. [1:27:28] And that is a look [1:27:28] at what's making news [1:27:29] in politics this morning. [1:27:30] Savannah? [1:27:31] All right, Sahil, [1:27:32] thanks so much. [1:27:33] Well, we've got an update [1:27:34] in the case [1:27:34] of that CIA officer [1:27:36] found with 40 million dollars [1:27:38] in gold bars [1:27:39] stashed in his home. [1:27:41] David Rush is now accused [1:27:42] of making a fake [1:27:44] top-secret intelligence program [1:27:46] to get government funds. [1:27:48] It just gets even weirder. [1:27:49] Rush is accused [1:27:50] of exploiting the agency's [1:27:52] secrecy precautions [1:27:53] around these sorts of programs [1:27:54] to receive the money [1:27:55] for his personal gain. [1:27:57] That's according [1:27:57] to two people with knowledge [1:27:59] of the ongoing investigation. [1:28:01] NBC News senior [1:28:01] national security correspondent [1:28:03] Courtney Kuby [1:28:03] joins us now on this one. [1:28:05] Courtney, I mean, [1:28:06] you know, [1:28:06] the movie writes itself. [1:28:07] This is just really [1:28:08] something here. [1:28:08] Let's start with [1:28:09] the fake program. [1:28:10] Sources say that he's accused [1:28:12] of creating this [1:28:13] sham government contract [1:28:14] as part of that. [1:28:16] Walk us through [1:28:16] what he's alleged [1:28:17] to have done here. [1:28:19] OK, so here's why [1:28:20] this has is it's possible [1:28:22] that this was able [1:28:23] to evade people [1:28:25] who should be watching [1:28:26] the money for so long [1:28:27] at the Central Intelligence Agency [1:28:28] and throughout the [1:28:29] intelligence agency [1:28:30] here agencies here [1:28:31] at the U.S. government. [1:28:32] The program he created [1:28:34] was known as special access, [1:28:35] a special access program. [1:28:37] Now, because of [1:28:38] the immense secrecy [1:28:40] and sort of the guardrails [1:28:41] that exist around [1:28:42] any kind of a special [1:28:43] access program, [1:28:44] the only people [1:28:45] who can know [1:28:46] any details about it, [1:28:47] in some cases, [1:28:47] even the existence [1:28:48] of these programs [1:28:50] are on what's known [1:28:51] as a need to know basis. [1:28:52] So it's a very, [1:28:53] very, very small group [1:28:54] of people who would [1:28:55] even know this program existed. [1:28:57] That may be how [1:28:58] he was able to [1:28:59] keep up this sham [1:29:01] for so long. [1:29:02] Now, it was [1:29:02] a special access program. [1:29:04] We don't have [1:29:05] all the details. [1:29:06] And frankly, [1:29:06] we may never really know [1:29:08] all the details [1:29:08] about exactly [1:29:09] what this involved [1:29:10] because of, again, [1:29:11] the nature of this [1:29:13] intelligence work. [1:29:14] But he was able [1:29:15] to recruit [1:29:16] several of his CIA [1:29:17] colleagues [1:29:18] to be a part of it. [1:29:19] And then as part [1:29:21] of this very secretive program, [1:29:23] they were able [1:29:23] to convince the CIA [1:29:25] to give them millions [1:29:27] of dollars [1:29:27] in not just gold bars. [1:29:29] We're talking [1:29:29] more than 300 gold bars, [1:29:30] but also more than [1:29:32] 30 luxury watches [1:29:33] and $2 million [1:29:35] in currency. [1:29:36] I mean, as you said, [1:29:37] the movie writes itself. [1:29:39] It is astonishing [1:29:40] that this was able [1:29:41] to evade the people [1:29:42] who should be following [1:29:43] the money [1:29:43] for as long [1:29:44] as it did, Savannah. [1:29:45] So, Courtney, [1:29:45] though, like when you [1:29:46] bring up the detail [1:29:46] like a watch, [1:29:47] like this was like [1:29:48] under the guise [1:29:50] of a secret program [1:29:51] that they needed [1:29:52] nice watches. [1:29:53] Like how did that work [1:29:54] and how did it eventually [1:29:55] how was the whole [1:29:56] thing called out? [1:29:59] So, again, [1:29:59] we don't have [1:30:00] all of the details, [1:30:01] but it appears [1:30:02] that they were using [1:30:03] the gold bars [1:30:04] and particularly [1:30:05] David Rush here [1:30:06] was taking the gold bars [1:30:08] and the luxury watches [1:30:09] and using them [1:30:09] essentially as currency [1:30:10] with sources [1:30:12] or at least [1:30:12] that's what he was [1:30:13] telling the CIA. [1:30:14] So it's not really clear. [1:30:16] You know, we've spoken [1:30:16] with a number [1:30:17] of current [1:30:18] and former [1:30:18] intelligence officials [1:30:19] and said, look, [1:30:20] do you use gold bars [1:30:22] to pay secret sources? [1:30:23] Is this a common thing? [1:30:25] Because, you know, [1:30:26] when you hear a story [1:30:27] like this, [1:30:28] 300 gold bars, [1:30:29] you would think [1:30:30] maybe this is something [1:30:31] that the intelligence [1:30:32] community uses [1:30:32] as a way to not [1:30:34] be tracked back [1:30:35] to the United States [1:30:36] government, right? [1:30:36] They pay them off [1:30:37] in gold bars. [1:30:39] Frankly, we don't [1:30:39] have an answer [1:30:40] about how extensive [1:30:41] this may be used [1:30:42] throughout the [1:30:42] intelligence community [1:30:43] and we've gotten [1:30:44] some pushback [1:30:45] at the notion [1:30:45] that it's a widespread [1:30:46] practice that they use [1:30:48] all over the place. [1:30:49] But frankly, [1:30:49] that just opens up [1:30:50] even more questions [1:30:51] about how he was able [1:30:53] to do this for so long. [1:30:54] No kidding. [1:30:55] You're obviously [1:30:55] no surprise [1:30:57] asking all the right [1:30:58] questions that we're [1:30:58] all dying for answers to. [1:31:00] How much of a danger [1:31:01] do Russia's alleged [1:31:02] actions here pose [1:31:03] to national security? [1:31:06] So we don't know [1:31:07] if the program itself [1:31:08] posed any kind [1:31:08] of a real threat, [1:31:09] but what it does do [1:31:10] is open up real questions [1:31:12] about how someone [1:31:13] who is known as an SES, [1:31:15] so it's a senior [1:31:16] executive service, [1:31:17] that's like if you're [1:31:17] talking about the Pentagon, [1:31:19] this is a general [1:31:19] at the CIA. [1:31:22] How was someone [1:31:23] able to get to [1:31:24] such a high level [1:31:25] of intelligence [1:31:26] to have access [1:31:27] and the ability [1:31:28] to create special [1:31:29] access programs [1:31:30] for so long [1:31:31] without anyone [1:31:32] raising an eyebrow [1:31:33] about what was [1:31:34] actually happening here? [1:31:35] How was he able [1:31:36] to have the highest [1:31:37] level of clearances [1:31:38] and what was he [1:31:38] able to do with that? [1:31:39] That's the real concerns [1:31:40] about national security. [1:31:42] And then, [1:31:42] are there others like him? [1:31:44] Absolutely. [1:31:45] By the way, [1:31:45] he's behind bars [1:31:46] still in Alexandria, [1:31:47] Virginia, [1:31:48] not yet entered a plea [1:31:49] in this case, [1:31:49] but one we know [1:31:50] that you're going [1:31:50] to keep your eyes [1:31:51] on for us. [1:31:51] Courtney, [1:31:52] thank you so much. [1:31:53] Coming up, [1:31:54] eyes on the CPI, [1:31:56] a new inflation report [1:31:57] is giving a clearer picture [1:31:58] of how the war [1:31:58] with Iran [1:31:59] is impacting prices [1:32:00] for American consumers [1:32:01] from gas to groceries. [1:32:04] Our chief business [1:32:04] correspondent, [1:32:05] Christine Romans, [1:32:05] will break down [1:32:06] the numbers for us next. [1:32:11] We are back [1:32:12] with a new look [1:32:13] at inflation numbers [1:32:14] out from the Bureau [1:32:15] of Labor Statistics [1:32:16] just this morning. [1:32:17] So here it is. [1:32:18] In May, [1:32:18] inflation rose [1:32:19] to 4.2% [1:32:21] year over year, [1:32:22] and that's the highest [1:32:23] level in three years. [1:32:24] The report has given us [1:32:25] a fresh look [1:32:26] at just how much [1:32:27] consumer prices [1:32:27] have gone up [1:32:28] during the Iran war. [1:32:30] We have NBC News [1:32:30] chief business correspondent [1:32:31] Christine Romans [1:32:32] here to break it all down [1:32:33] for us. [1:32:33] This breaking news, [1:32:34] she's got the numbers, [1:32:35] she's going to tell us [1:32:35] about them. [1:32:36] Christine, [1:32:37] good morning. [1:32:37] So just let's start [1:32:38] on how much did prices [1:32:39] rise in May, [1:32:40] and also like are our [1:32:41] paychecks keeping up [1:32:42] with the way that we're [1:32:44] seeing prices rise? [1:32:45] Prices rising dramatically [1:32:46] in May, [1:32:46] and no wages [1:32:47] are not keeping up. [1:32:48] You said that 4.2%. [1:32:50] That's really important here. [1:32:51] It's hotter than April, [1:32:52] and it's also the most [1:32:54] in about three years. [1:32:55] Just for context, [1:32:57] Savannah, [1:32:57] before the war [1:32:58] with Iran began, [1:32:59] that number was 2.4%. [1:33:02] So that is a big difference. [1:33:03] And when you look over [1:33:04] at wages versus inflation, [1:33:06] this is really important, too. [1:33:07] Let me just draw the line [1:33:08] up here past 4%. [1:33:09] This is what it looks [1:33:10] like here. [1:33:11] This top line [1:33:12] is inflation. [1:33:13] This green line, [1:33:14] wages. [1:33:15] This is not great [1:33:16] when you see this line [1:33:17] cross here. [1:33:18] That means your paycheck [1:33:19] is not going as far [1:33:20] as your bills, [1:33:21] and that's why [1:33:22] you see so many people [1:33:23] complaining about affordability. [1:33:24] Well, let's talk about [1:33:25] some of these sectors [1:33:26] that, you know, [1:33:27] we just have to pay for. [1:33:28] Food, energy, housing. [1:33:29] What do prices [1:33:30] look like there? [1:33:31] You know, prices have been [1:33:31] rising pretty dramatically. [1:33:33] Food from month to month [1:33:34] up a little bit, [1:33:35] but compare it with a year ago, [1:33:36] it's up more than 3%. [1:33:37] That means your grocery bill [1:33:38] is about 3% higher today [1:33:40] than it was a year ago. [1:33:41] Energy is the real [1:33:43] budget killer here. [1:33:44] Up 23.5%. [1:33:45] That's because of the war [1:33:46] with Iran. [1:33:47] Before the war began, [1:33:48] you had gas prices [1:33:49] at $2.98 a gallon. [1:33:51] Now, I mean, [1:33:51] they've improved [1:33:52] a little bit overnight. [1:33:53] They're about 40 cents [1:33:54] off the worst, [1:33:55] but they're still up dramatically. [1:33:56] And shelter, [1:33:57] still 3% higher [1:33:58] than we had last year. [1:34:00] Dig into those fuel costs. [1:34:02] Look at this, Savannah. [1:34:03] Have you purchased [1:34:04] an air plane ticket recently? [1:34:06] I know, I know. [1:34:06] Look at that. [1:34:07] They're like 26% higher [1:34:08] than they were a year ago. [1:34:10] That's because jet fuel, [1:34:11] all of this is a derivative [1:34:12] of the war with Iran. [1:34:15] What about grocery prices, Christine? [1:34:16] Yeah, grocery prices improving [1:34:18] if you're talking about eggs. [1:34:19] That's because of the bird flu. [1:34:21] And that was a real big problem [1:34:22] for farmers [1:34:23] and for grocery stores [1:34:25] and consumers. [1:34:26] So this has improved. [1:34:27] Oh, wow. [1:34:27] That's a big drop. [1:34:28] That's a little piece [1:34:28] of good news we can give you. [1:34:30] But milk prices are higher [1:34:31] year over year. [1:34:32] Ground beef is higher. [1:34:33] It's just, [1:34:33] it's a little bit off [1:34:34] of a record high. [1:34:35] But these have been, [1:34:36] you know, normally, [1:34:38] in normal times, [1:34:38] you talk about $2.99 special [1:34:40] for, you know, [1:34:41] a pound of beef, [1:34:42] $3.99 for a pound of beef. [1:34:43] Look what we're talking [1:34:44] about here, $6.72. [1:34:45] Wow, that is something. [1:34:46] All right, now let's talk [1:34:47] about what this could mean [1:34:49] for the Fed. [1:34:49] How does this inflation report, [1:34:51] right on the heels, though, [1:34:52] of a strong jobs report [1:34:54] last week, [1:34:54] how does that balance out [1:34:55] for the Fed? [1:34:56] What do you think? [1:34:56] The Fed has two jobs. [1:34:58] One, to make sure [1:34:59] that policies are set [1:35:00] that keeps the job market strong. [1:35:02] Two, make sure that prices [1:35:04] don't rise too fast. [1:35:05] Comfortable inflation is 2%. [1:35:08] We're at 4.2%. [1:35:09] Some of these numbers [1:35:10] that I just showed you [1:35:11] are way higher than that. [1:35:12] It suggests that potentially [1:35:13] the Fed's next move [1:35:15] might have to be [1:35:15] an interest rate hike [1:35:16] to raise interest rates [1:35:18] to try to cool inflation [1:35:19] because it's mandate. [1:35:21] It's two jobs of trying [1:35:23] to make sure the job market [1:35:24] is strong and inflation is low. [1:35:26] Those are at odds right now. [1:35:28] All right, Christine Romans, [1:35:29] thank you for walking us [1:35:30] through that. [1:35:30] All right, thanks. [1:35:32] Well, for years, [1:35:32] many people believed [1:35:34] maybe you, a little alcohol, [1:35:36] might actually be good [1:35:36] for your health. [1:35:37] Well, a new study [1:35:38] in the Journal of Studies [1:35:40] on alcohol and drugs [1:35:41] is challenging that thinking, [1:35:43] finding that even lower levels [1:35:44] of drinking may increase [1:35:45] the risk of premature death [1:35:47] and of certain cancers. [1:35:49] Researchers recommend [1:35:50] no more than one drink a day, [1:35:53] differing from previous U.S. guidelines, [1:35:55] which allowed for something [1:35:56] more like two drinks a day [1:35:57] for adults. [1:35:58] We're joined now [1:35:59] by one of the study's co-authors, [1:36:01] Priscilla Martinez-Matischczyk, [1:36:03] Deputy Scientific Director [1:36:04] of the Alcohol Research Group [1:36:06] at the Public Health Institute. [1:36:08] Priscilla, good morning. [1:36:09] Although this is not good news, [1:36:11] we appreciate you joining us. [1:36:12] Let's start with the headline here. [1:36:14] So your team, [1:36:14] it concluded that adults [1:36:15] should have no more [1:36:16] than one drink a day. [1:36:19] Walk us through [1:36:19] how you arrived at that number [1:36:20] and how it compares [1:36:21] with what we've been told. [1:36:24] Right, so what we've been told [1:36:26] before, [1:36:26] what the previous drinking guidelines [1:36:28] are from 2020 to 2025, [1:36:31] is that men can have [1:36:33] up to two drinks a day, [1:36:35] women one drink a day, [1:36:38] and the current guidelines, [1:36:40] the 2025 to 2030 guidelines, [1:36:42] they're updated every five years, [1:36:44] recommends that drinking less [1:36:46] is better for your health. [1:36:47] But it doesn't provide [1:36:49] any specific guidance [1:36:51] about what that means [1:36:52] or what that looks like. [1:36:54] So we looked at the relationship [1:36:56] between drinking at different levels [1:36:59] and the risk of dying [1:37:01] from an alcohol-related disease [1:37:02] or getting an alcohol-related disease, [1:37:04] dying from an alcohol-related cause, [1:37:05] and using U.S. data [1:37:08] and found that [1:37:10] drinking more than seven drinks a week [1:37:13] or one drink a day [1:37:14] was associated [1:37:14] with significant risk [1:37:16] of dying prematurely [1:37:17] from an alcohol-related cause. [1:37:20] So the current guidance [1:37:22] that we've heard [1:37:23] is this kind of like [1:37:24] less is better type of messaging, [1:37:26] but I know that your team [1:37:26] wanted to be more specific. [1:37:28] As we really look at these numbers, [1:37:30] what do they tell us [1:37:32] about how risk changes [1:37:34] with alcohol consumption? [1:37:35] The take-home message [1:37:38] writ large is [1:37:40] the more you drink, [1:37:42] the higher you risk. [1:37:43] Getting a little more specific, [1:37:46] having seven or more drinks per week [1:37:49] or more than one drink a day [1:37:50] was associated [1:37:51] with a one in a thousand lifetime risk [1:37:54] of dying from an alcohol-related disease [1:37:56] or injury. [1:37:57] And then when you go up [1:37:58] to 14 drinks per week [1:38:00] or two drinks a day, [1:38:02] as was recommended previously for men, [1:38:04] it went up to one in 25. [1:38:07] And that is a really substantial increase. [1:38:10] That's a 4% increase. [1:38:12] And that is really meaningful. [1:38:15] And that's part of why we recommended [1:38:17] no more than one drink a day. [1:38:20] A lot of people believe, [1:38:21] and we've been told, [1:38:23] I don't know what all the science was on it, [1:38:25] but I think some of this came from studies [1:38:27] that a glass of wine a day [1:38:29] can actually be good [1:38:30] specifically for the heart. [1:38:32] What does this study tell us about that? [1:38:33] Yeah, that's a really great question [1:38:36] because that's kind of [1:38:37] where all of this started, right? [1:38:39] The idea that a little bit of wine [1:38:41] is good for our heart. [1:38:44] What we found was that at very low levels, [1:38:48] so less than seven drinks a week, [1:38:50] really just a couple of drinks a week, [1:38:51] there is a little bit of a protective effect [1:38:53] for cardiovascular disease. [1:38:55] However, once you introduce binge drinking [1:38:59] or having a lot of drinks on one occasion, [1:39:02] it totally negates any potential positive effect [1:39:05] of cardiovascular disease. [1:39:07] So, and it's also important to remember [1:39:09] that we looked at the totality of disease. [1:39:12] So alcohol is causally related [1:39:14] to over 200 diseases and injury conditions. [1:39:17] So when you look at it overall, [1:39:20] even though there's a little bit of a protective effect [1:39:22] at these very low levels of drinking, [1:39:24] in totality, [1:39:25] there's no protective net benefit of drinking alcohol. [1:39:28] All right, good reminders [1:39:30] and some new information there for us all. [1:39:33] Priscilla, again, [1:39:35] it's not the news a lot of us want to hear, [1:39:36] but we appreciate you telling us [1:39:38] and ways to stay safe. [1:39:39] Thanks so much. [1:39:40] But don't go anywhere. [1:39:41] The news continues right now. [1:39:42] We thank you for watching [1:39:57] and remember, stay updated on breaking news [1:39:59] and top stories on the NBC News app [1:40:01] or watch live on our YouTube channel.