About this transcript: This is a full AI-generated transcript of Morning News NOW Full Episode – June 29 from NBC News, published July 1, 2026. The transcript contains 16,824 words with timestamps and was generated using Whisper AI.
"Developing right now on Morning News Now, strikes and setbacks in the Middle East. Iran's armed forces releasing this video said to show a new round of attacks on U.S. military sites after a flare-up of exchanges over the weekend, just days after an agreement to end the fighting. Now, President..."
[0:01] Developing right now on Morning News Now, strikes and setbacks in the Middle East.
[0:06] Iran's armed forces releasing this video said to show a new round of attacks on U.S. military sites
[0:12] after a flare-up of exchanges over the weekend, just days after an agreement to end the fighting.
[0:18] Now, President Trump warning the U.S. could be forced to return to war
[0:23] as both sides battle over the Strait of Hormuz.
[0:26] If the U.S. is still bombing Iran 120 days into this conflict,
[0:30] how can the Trump administration credibly say the war is over?
[0:34] The major war is over, and think of this as almost just a mop-up operation.
[0:39] We'll bring you the latest on the escalation and what we're learning about the efforts to finalize a long-term peace deal.
[0:46] Also this morning, legislation in limbo.
[0:48] New developments on a bipartisan housing bill President Trump decided not to sign last week.
[0:54] Plus, the president announcing his pick for the next director of ICE.
[0:58] Meanwhile, at the Supreme Court, several major decisions set before the term ends this week.
[1:04] We will take you to Washington.
[1:06] Plus, we're tracking fire danger and flooding fears across the U.S.
[1:10] as extreme heat grips the West Coast and severe storms ravage parts of the Southeast.
[1:16] And it's going to be a hot Fourth of July for much of the country.
[1:19] We will have your fireworks forecast.
[1:21] And football fever, the World Cup, now in the knockout rounds after a thrilling and historic final weekend of group play.
[1:30] So what is it looking like for Argentina and Lionel Messi?
[1:33] And how far can Team USA take it?
[1:36] We will have all the excitement ahead.
[1:39] It is an exciting time, isn't it?
[1:40] We're all very pumped for how Team USA is doing.
[1:42] Good morning.
[1:43] Thank you so much for kicking off your week with us.
[1:45] Starting your Monday morning.
[1:46] I'm Savannah Sellers.
[1:47] Joe's off today.
[1:47] We're going to begin this hour in the Middle East, where a new flare-up between the United States and Iran is again threatening to unravel peace efforts.
[1:55] Over the weekend, both sides traded retaliatory strikes, with President Trump warning that the U.S. could be forced to return to war with Iran.
[2:03] On Saturday, CENTCOM released this footage we're showing you of purported strikes on Iran in retaliation for what it says was an Iranian drone attack on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
[2:13] The Iranian military later released this footage of a missile and drone attack targeting U.S. military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, they say.
[2:22] NBC News has not been able to verify any of the claims.
[2:25] But this morning, multiple news outlets are reporting that both sides have agreed to pause fighting and resume peace talks.
[2:32] NBC News Washington correspondent Alice Barr joins us now with the latest.
[2:35] Alice, good morning.
[2:36] Good morning, Savannah.
[2:38] And NBC News has new reporting now this morning from a source with knowledge of the peace talks that the two sides are still set to meet in Qatar in the coming days, though Iran has not yet confirmed that.
[2:52] This morning, hopes for peace with Iran battered by a weekend flare-up in fighting, though a source with knowledge of the talks told NBC News technical teams working toward a long-term deal are still scheduled to meet in Qatar in the coming days.
[3:06] And communication channels are in place, aimed at de-escalation.
[3:11] Multiple news outlets are reporting the two sides have agreed to pause the strikes, among them the Wall Street Journal, citing officials from the U.S. and other countries involved in negotiations.
[3:22] Iran has not confirmed an agreement.
[3:25] Vice President Vance on Friday downplayed the disruption, saying a ceasefire.
[3:30] It's always going to be a little messy when you're dealing with the Iranians.
[3:32] But if we make the final deal, then great.
[3:36] If we don't make the final deal, their nuclear program is still destroyed.
[3:40] They're still much weaker as a country.
[3:41] The two sides have been in detailed talks over the future of Iran's nuclear program, following the signed Memorandum of Understanding initial agreement.
[3:50] Though on Saturday, President Trump warned the U.S. could be forced to militarily complete the job, accusing Iran of violating the ceasefire.
[3:59] After an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz late last week, U.S. forces then fired on Iranian military targets, with Iran striking back against U.S. Gulf allies Bahrain and Kuwait.
[4:12] On Capitol Hill, Republicans largely backing the administration's approach.
[4:17] This is almost just a mop-up operation. We have to press them. If they strike us, we have to strike them back by 10.
[4:24] As some voice concerns.
[4:26] There's a lot of work to be done, and I just fundamentally do not trust the Iranians.
[4:30] With the path to lasting peace uncertain.
[4:33] Picture Israel has continued its strikes in southern Lebanon.
[4:40] The Israeli military says it destroyed what it called an underground Hezbollah terror complex, with hundreds of weapons in tunnels.
[4:49] Hezbollah called the strikes a flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon.
[4:55] Savannah.
[4:55] So, Alice, what it really seems like you just laid out there is that President Trump's sort of alternating between threatening Iran,
[5:01] but then also praising the negotiations, saying they're moving forward.
[5:04] How does that factor into this overall picture, this push for peace?
[5:09] Yeah, that has been the story back and forth, and Iran has more than once stepped back,
[5:14] including during the first big round of peace talks Vice President Vance led a week ago,
[5:19] when Iran accused President Trump of breaking this interim agreement just by his threats.
[5:24] Though the president has frequently said the talks are going well,
[5:27] he believes Iran really wants to make a deal and is going to be forced into that.
[5:31] A White House spokesperson said President Trump is a master dealmaker,
[5:35] and she said that his predecessors had regularly outlined their playbook, their red lines to the press,
[5:40] and she said by extension to our adversaries,
[5:43] and that President Trump was maintaining strategic ambiguity and flexibility in his approach.
[5:50] All right, Alice, thank you so much for kicking us off this hour.
[5:53] Well, over the weekend, President Trump nominated former Oklahoma State Trooper Lance Schroyer,
[5:57] who's a close ally of Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen, to become the director of ICE.
[6:03] Plus, Republicans are saying President Trump could sign that newly passed bipartisan housing bill into law this week.
[6:09] We've got a lot to get to out of Washington.
[6:11] For more, let's bring in NBC News senior national political reporter Sahil Kapoor.
[6:14] Sahil, good morning.
[6:15] So let's start there.
[6:16] It's called the 21st Century Road to Housing Act.
[6:19] So President Trump refused to sign it last week.
[6:22] Yesterday, we did hear House Speaker Mike Johnson say the president will sign the bill this week.
[6:26] Walk us through what's happening here since it's this popular bill passed with bipartisan support and a veto-proof margin.
[6:32] So what's the latest?
[6:34] Yeah, that's all correct, of course, Savannah.
[6:36] The important thing to know here is that President Trump will technically, under the law,
[6:40] have 10 days from the time he receives the bill, from the time it's transmitted from the House to the White House,
[6:45] which could be as early as today, to either sign it, to veto it, or to let it become law by doing nothing in those 10 days.
[6:52] Now, remember, this bill passed both the House and the Senate with more than 90 percent of votes in both chambers.
[6:58] It's an overwhelming bipartisan and bicameral vote.
[7:01] So if the president were to veto it, the possibility of an override is very much in play,
[7:06] because, of course, you need two-thirds of a majority to override that veto.
[7:10] Republicans see a lot in this bill to celebrate, as do Democrats.
[7:13] That's the key planks are.
[7:15] There are funding and grant programs to build more housing.
[7:17] It eases regulations and review processes, which many in the GOP are particularly pleased about.
[7:23] And there are restrictions on private equity and Wall Street investors buying single-family homes.
[7:28] It's a rare opportunity for Republicans to claim a tangible victory on the issue of affordability
[7:33] and costs ahead of the 2026 midterms, which many of them are very eager to do.
[7:38] So if President Trump were to try to escalate this and veto it and force an override vote,
[7:43] it would make a lot of Republicans even more upset and even more disenchanted about the landscape in the midterms.
[7:48] So a lot of this was caught up with the president essentially trying to get other business done in exchange sort of for signing this.
[7:55] And so this is really the president trying to push through what's called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility,
[8:00] or our viewers might know it as the Save America Act.
[8:03] It proposes requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
[8:07] Is that bill going anywhere in Congress?
[8:10] The short answer is no.
[8:11] It's going nowhere.
[8:12] And that's an important distinction that you make, Savannah,
[8:14] because the president is not saying the housing bill is a bad bill.
[8:17] He's not making the case against that bill.
[8:19] He's simply saying he has a bigger priority, the Save America Act,
[8:22] which he's repeatedly tried to attach to one piece of legislation that's moving,
[8:26] another piece of legislation that's moving.
[8:28] All that happens is that so-called must-pass piece of legislation always stalls
[8:32] because the Save America Act is vehemently opposed by Democrats.
[8:36] It doesn't have anywhere near the 60 votes needed to clear a filibuster in the Senate.
[8:40] And Republican senators have made abundantly clear they do not have the votes nor the desire
[8:45] to abolish the filibuster to push it through.
[8:47] So this remains a priority of the president.
[8:49] He continues to demand that it move, that it get attached to this or that other piece of legislation.
[8:54] But there's no expectation.
[8:55] There's no reason to believe that that's going to happen.
[8:58] Sahil, let's tick through some of this other Washington news on Saturday.
[9:00] President Trump, as I mentioned, nominated former Oklahoma State Trooper Lance Shroyer to head ICE
[9:05] in a social media post.
[9:07] He called him a patriot with years of experience.
[9:10] What can you tell us about him and that experience?
[9:13] Well, as you say, he's a former Oklahoma State Trooper.
[9:16] He's a current senior advisor to DHS Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen.
[9:20] President Trump said in a social media post, quote,
[9:22] He is a patriot with real operational experience and a proven leader with decades of experience.
[9:29] It's worth noting that Shroyer's experience is more in local than federal law enforcement.
[9:34] Also worth noting that President Trump is already on his third acting ICE director in
[9:39] just a year and a half back in the White House.
[9:41] Currently, it's David Venturella, who took over from Todd Lyons earlier on this year.
[9:47] There's a lot of uncertainty and a lot of upheaval surrounding this agency, Savannah.
[9:51] No kidding.
[9:52] Also, ICE actually has not had a Senate-confirmed director since 2017.
[9:56] So tell us what timeline we're expecting for that nomination process.
[10:01] And, you know, just remind us some of the issues that Shroyer is going to face if he does take
[10:04] over the department.
[10:06] Yeah, it's extraordinary.
[10:07] 2017, almost a decade that this agency has been functioning essentially on autopilot
[10:11] under acting directors who don't have, you know, the full support of the Senate to be in a
[10:17] permanent role, which means they can't use their full powers in this space.
[10:21] The Senate is gone until July 13th.
[10:23] So the earliest they could even schedule anything would be, or rather, even hold a hearing would
[10:28] be that week.
[10:29] This is the type of nomination that Senate Republican leaders might try to expedite.
[10:34] He would have to come before the Senate for a confirmation hearing.
[10:36] Of course, this agency oversees immigration enforcement and deportations.
[10:40] It's very easy to imagine that it would be very, very confrontational because the two parties
[10:45] have very different views about ICE.
[10:47] Republicans want it to be more aggressive.
[10:49] President Trump wants a more aggressive mass deportation program.
[10:52] And Democrats, after DHS agents killed two Americans in Minneapolis, are insistent on
[10:58] reforms to restrain how ICE goes about deportation.
[11:01] So there'll be a lot of questions.
[11:02] But remember, he just needs 50 votes in the Senate, plus potentially the tie-breaking vote of
[11:07] the vice president to yet confirm he doesn't need Democrats.
[11:09] Trump just needs to find a nominee who can largely unify Republicans.
[11:13] Sahil Kapoor from Washington for us, covering a lot.
[11:15] Thank you so much.
[11:17] Well, let's stay in Washington.
[11:18] It is a big week for the Supreme Court.
[11:20] So today actually marks the start of the final week of their term.
[11:23] Several big cases are still awaiting rulings from the conservative majority court.
[11:28] Three of the eight remaining cases could have major implications for presidential power.
[11:32] Let's bring in our good friend, NBC News legal analyst Danny Savalas, to break down some
[11:36] of these cases, talk about what's left here.
[11:38] Danny, good morning.
[11:38] Great to have you.
[11:39] So a lot of the remaining cases, like I just said, they surround the limits of presidential
[11:43] power.
[11:44] So I'm going to take through each of these.
[11:45] We'll kind of talk about the bigger theme here.
[11:46] But let's start with the biggest decision before the court right now.
[11:49] This is President Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship.
[11:53] What would happen if the court ruled in his favor?
[11:57] This is definitely the flashiest case before the court.
[12:00] But it's the one least likely to represent an expansion of executive presidential power.
[12:07] And that's because the court seemed very skeptical of removing a system that we have where we
[12:13] give birthright citizenship to those people born on U.S. soil.
[12:18] The Trump administration has challenged that, claiming that the Constitution adds an additional
[12:22] requirement and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.
[12:26] In fact, this entire case litigation, everything comes down to those handful of words, subject to
[12:33] the jurisdiction thereof.
[12:34] And if, as the Trump administration argues, those words mean that somebody additionally has
[12:40] to be present lawfully in the United States, it would be a massive change to a settled area
[12:46] of the law since 1898.
[12:49] So this is definitely one to watch, even though if you're betting, the odds are against the
[12:54] administration.
[12:54] Okay, Danny, let's talk about this next one.
[12:57] We're also waiting, rolling on President Trump's attempt to fire Lisa Cook from the Federal
[13:01] Reserve's Board of Governors.
[13:02] So this case centers on what's known as a four-cause standard, meaning a president can't
[13:07] fire someone without a specific justification.
[13:10] Legally, what does that require here?
[13:12] Yeah, the Federal Reserve Act provides, or Congress provided through the Federal Reserve
[13:17] Act, that the governor can only be fired for cause.
[13:20] And a lot of us are familiar with for cause.
[13:23] If you've worked in government, you may be familiar that it means that the default rule in
[13:27] the United States is that it's at-will employment.
[13:30] Usually at a private employer, you can be fired for any reason, good or bad.
[13:34] But that's a little different when you have for cause entitlement.
[13:38] So everything comes down to whether the Fed governor can be fired at will or what for cause
[13:44] actually means.
[13:45] Because you can imagine that anyone can conjure up their own definition of for cause.
[13:50] And specifically whether pre-office conduct counts for something you can fire somebody.
[13:55] Can you fire somebody for cause at the Fed if they did something untoward before they
[14:01] were even at that agency?
[14:04] So this could end up being a narrow decision, limited only to the Fed.
[14:08] The court's also weighing, Danny, whether heads of what have long been independent federal
[14:13] agencies like the FTC are shielded from being fired by the president.
[14:19] How could the court's ruling impact Trump's executive reach on that one?
[14:22] This case could overrule another very old case called Humphrey's executor.
[14:28] And really what I'm watching for is whether the court will carve out just a limitation on
[14:34] executive power around the Fed.
[14:36] Because the Fed is a little different than some of these other agencies because of the
[14:39] power that the executive should or could have over the economy.
[14:44] But the bigger question is, if the court grants this executive power to fire someone really
[14:50] for cause and expands the presidential power to determine what for cause is, will that also
[14:57] be expanded to these other agencies?
[15:00] That would represent an even more dramatic expansion of executive power by this court.
[15:05] So, Danny, to put a button on the overarching theme of these three cases of presidential power,
[15:09] during oral arguments, you know, the tea leaves that we can sort of read here, how skeptical
[15:15] were, was this court, was this conservative court, how skeptical have they been of the
[15:20] Trump administration's arguments?
[15:22] Well, these are two dramatically different areas of presidential power.
[15:26] On the one hand, you think about birthright citizenship.
[15:28] Well, that's something that people have considered so settled.
[15:31] I'm sure you've talked to folks, too, who think that's really up for debate.
[15:35] I think that's been the law since for hundreds of years now, literally.
[15:39] So that would be a very big surprise.
[15:41] And I think at oral argument, the conservative justices and all justices were very skeptical
[15:45] of this unilateral expansion of federal power.
[15:49] On the other hand, something like defining what is for cause termination at the level of
[15:56] terminating a Fed governor or some of these other heads of agencies, that's a squishier
[16:01] question.
[16:02] And it's something that the court might be more inclined to give to the president.
[16:07] But I wouldn't be surprised if on the one hand they said, oh, no, birthright citizenship
[16:11] survives.
[16:12] The president can't affect that.
[16:14] And then on the other hand, possibly carved out a dramatic expansion of presidential power
[16:20] when it comes to terminating people by giving the president and the executive branch alone
[16:24] the power to determine what is for cause when someone's fired.
[16:27] Danny, switching gears here, another one awaiting ruling on challenges to laws that ban transgender
[16:33] girls and women from participating in female athletics.
[16:37] What happens if the conservative majority court supports these bans?
[16:40] There was this case last year called Scrimetti that kind of gave us some inkling of where
[16:45] the court might be going.
[16:46] But then again, Scrimetti was a less direct discrimination based on transgender status.
[16:52] So in this case, this is a much more direct discrimination, at least according to the challengers,
[16:59] because instead of medical status, this is directly based on if you're transgender, you
[17:05] can or cannot play or be included in this team.
[17:08] So even though the court sort of skirted around this issue last year, they could go in a different
[17:14] direction this time around.
[17:15] But yes, given that this is a conservative court, I wouldn't be surprised if the court
[17:20] sides in favor of being able to discriminate against transgender persons joining or being
[17:27] part of a particular athletic team.
[17:29] All right.
[17:29] Danny Savello is covering a lot for us.
[17:31] We appreciate it, Danny.
[17:32] Thank you so much.
[17:33] Well, a dangerous and prolonged heat wave is developing over much of the country, which
[17:37] could impact millions over this weekend's Fourth of July holiday.
[17:40] It comes after a weekend of torrential rain triggered deadly flooding in Kentucky, prompting
[17:45] more than 60 rescues and evacuations.
[17:48] NBC News correspondent Shaquille Brewster is in Chicago and joins us with the latest chat.
[17:51] Good morning.
[17:52] Let's start with the scorching heat that is just roasting much of the country.
[17:56] What are some of the biggest areas of concern and what are officials doing to help people
[17:58] stay cool?
[18:01] Well, this is one of the biggest areas of concern right here in Chicago.
[18:05] But this is a system that stretches from the Midwest all the way to the East Coast.
[18:09] So, Van, I just checked right now, and it feels like already, we're at 6 a.m., it feels
[18:14] like 84 degrees here in Chicago, and we are just at the beginning of that.
[18:19] Temperatures will actually hit 90 degrees and feel like triple digits, and it's not just
[18:24] today, but it'll be over the stretch over the next couple of days.
[18:28] That's dangerous conditions for so many.
[18:31] And I mentioned this is something that's extending all the way to the East Coast.
[18:34] So, what are officials doing about it?
[18:36] Well, we know there's that network of cooling centers.
[18:38] We're seeing that in Chicago.
[18:40] We also know in New York City, where there's that heat warning, and heat advisory is also
[18:44] in effect.
[18:45] They have network of some 300 cooling centers available for folks.
[18:49] We know that city pools are open.
[18:51] I'm sure you saw that video of Mayor Mamdani jumping into the pool while wearing a full suit.
[18:57] There will be a lot of people doing the same, maybe not wearing the same outfit, but going
[19:01] in, enjoying those pools over the course of the next few days.
[19:05] And what officials are advising folks is essentially treat the severe weather as you would other
[19:10] winter storms or other kinds of storms.
[19:14] Prepare ahead of time.
[19:16] Check on your neighbors.
[19:17] Stay hydrated.
[19:18] Remember, you want to drink that water before you are thirsty.
[19:21] Take the severe weather as seriously as you would other severe weather events.
[19:27] All right.
[19:28] And, Shaq, you better heed that advice and get inside after you're done chatting with
[19:31] us.
[19:31] Thanks for being out in the heat.
[19:33] Okay.
[19:33] Let's now, the other weather event that I mentioned just over this weekend, this powerful
[19:38] storm brought deadly flooding to Kentucky.
[19:40] How are the cleanup efforts going there?
[19:41] Yeah, those cleanup efforts are well underway.
[19:46] I mean, we talk, we're talking about a lot of rain that dumped down onto that state Saturday
[19:51] night, more than eight inches in some areas.
[19:54] Just look at what that has led to, that flash flooding.
[19:58] We also know, and as you mentioned, those are some deadly conditions.
[20:01] We know in one county, for example, there were two people who were killed essentially in
[20:06] their basement.
[20:07] Officials saying they drowned because of those conditions.
[20:10] In Madison County, there were some 60 water rescues that officials had to deal with.
[20:15] And there were also some precautionary evacuations by one of the dams there.
[20:19] There was some erosion that they saw because of the water and the quickness that that rain
[20:24] and that that water flooded in.
[20:27] So that is a cleanup that people are going to have to deal with today.
[20:30] You have the governor of Kentucky putting that state of emergency in effect, activating
[20:35] and mobilizing the National Guard.
[20:37] There's going to be several days of cleanup required for those images that you're seeing
[20:42] on your screen right now.
[20:43] All right.
[20:44] We are thinking about those people in Kentucky.
[20:46] Shaq, I do also another weather event here.
[20:48] Let's talk about deadly fires burning in the Rockies.
[20:51] What can you tell us about the three firefighters who were killed in Colorado over the weekend?
[20:57] Yeah, this was from a fire that we're seeing along the Colorado and Utah border.
[21:02] According to the wildfire service, we know that three firefighters were killed.
[21:07] Two others were injured and essentially what they're calling a burn over incident.
[21:12] Essentially, the conditions are so unpredictable with that dry humidity, the heavy winds that it's
[21:17] leading to those dangerous conditions for firefighters as well as for so many people.
[21:22] We know that's another area where evacuations are underway.
[21:26] This is a massive wildfire.
[21:28] We know the largest wildfire is some 92,000 acres for a little comparison of that size.
[21:35] That's about six times the size of Manhattan.
[21:38] And that fire is 0% contained, according to officials.
[21:41] So there's a lot of work that needs to be done in helping to contain this fire.
[21:46] And unfortunately, it doesn't look like those conditions are improving.
[21:50] Savannah?
[21:50] All right.
[21:52] Shock rooster for us.
[21:53] Again, go get cool.
[21:53] Thank you so much.
[21:55] For more on what to expect from the heat this week, let's get a look at our morning news now.
[21:58] Weather.
[21:59] We have meteorologists, Violetta Yaz, with us this morning.
[22:01] Hi there.
[22:01] Good morning.
[22:02] Hey, Savannah.
[22:02] Good morning.
[22:03] We are looking at fairly intense conditions here in the next couple of days.
[22:07] What's happening is we have this big dome of high pressure that's really going to set the stage for the heat
[22:14] that's coming through the next couple of days.
[22:16] So this is going to dominate across the southeastern U.S.
[22:18] And what happens in these situations is we have that sinking air under the dome that traps this very hot air at the surface,
[22:26] allowing for the relentless heat to develop and, in our case, here, spread through the next couple of days.
[22:32] 139 million people at risk for prolonged heat, as a lot of these are going to be in effect at least through Thursday.
[22:39] Heat indices potentially up to 114.
[22:42] And you can see those alerts stretch from the upper Midwest through parts of Minnesota all the way down through parts of Florida.
[22:49] Eventually, that is going to start to expand east.
[22:51] But it's not just about the temperatures.
[22:53] We also have this influx of moisture that's going to be coming in from the Gulf of Mexico,
[22:58] allowing for the high temperatures to combine with very high humidity.
[23:02] So dangerously hot as early as today in some spots with those heat indices up to 108,
[23:08] even all the way up in Minneapolis, down through Mobile, 107, triple digits here in Jacksonville, Houston and Oklahoma City as well.
[23:17] Meanwhile, later this week, we'll see that heat spread into the eastern United States.
[23:21] So, again, we can expect triple-digit air temperatures, plus the humidity making it feel worse.
[23:27] So, even in places like New York and D.C., we'll see these very, very high readings,
[23:31] making it dangerous to be outdoors for prolonged periods of time.
[23:35] You want to make sure you're taking this seriously.
[23:37] Meanwhile, in terms of the storm threat, that has shifted east since yesterday.
[23:41] So, we do have the potential for some isolated damaging storms here across the upper Midwest, the Dakotas and parts of Minnesota.
[23:48] Meanwhile, looking ahead, of course, a big week for travel ahead of the holiday.
[23:52] We have spotty storms in the forecast as we head into Friday, again, luckily, no major storms on the horizon
[23:58] as a lot of people hit the roads and the airports.
[24:00] And then looking ahead to the 4th of July, we'll have a couple of isolated spots as well,
[24:05] some scattered storms in the Plains and the Midwest, maybe up across the Northeast as well.
[24:10] I think a better chance for some potential delays here across the Southeast from Florida,
[24:15] extending out across the Gulf Coast, Savannah.
[24:17] All right, Vila, a lot going on.
[24:19] Thank you so much.
[24:19] We'll check in with you in an hour.
[24:20] Much more to come here on Morning News Now.
[24:23] Later this hour, artificial intelligence posing a real challenge for college grads.
[24:28] Look at how the technology is making the job hunt even more difficult and what you can do to get ahead.
[24:33] Up first, though, after the break, devastation in Venezuela nearly one week after a pair of powerful and deadly earthquakes.
[24:39] We will get an update next.
[24:40] Stay with us.
[24:42] We are back now with the latest on those powerful twin earthquakes that rocked Venezuela last week,
[24:50] causing immense devastation in the capital city of Caracas and the northern part of the country.
[24:55] It's been five days since those back-to-back quakes struck, and the death toll is now nearing 1,500 people, with thousands more still missing.
[25:05] Rescue teams aided by international crews are frantically racing against the clock to pull survivors from the rubble.
[25:11] Experts say survival chances drop after the first 72 hours of a natural disaster.
[25:17] But miraculously, people are still being found alive, including this father and son.
[25:22] They were found yesterday after being buried under the debris for four days.
[25:27] As journalist Anna Vanessa Herrero joins us now from Caracas with more on all of this.
[25:31] Anna, thank you again for being with us this week.
[25:34] We mentioned rescue teams are still managing to find survivors, but we have just passed that critical 72-hour mark.
[25:40] How optimistic are authorities at this point of finding more people alive?
[25:44] Well, let me tell you just moments ago, another aftershock, a strong one was felt right here.
[25:52] And it made all the first responders, paramedics, firefighters, and rescue teams run immediately as well as the international media that's here covering.
[26:01] So even with that and the rest, because we're in a very complicated area surrounded by buildings that are fractured, some of them,
[26:08] and they're heavily, their structure are destroyed, still the rescue teams are there.
[26:14] And they tell me that they are going to try their best to get into this building that you see behind me,
[26:20] what used to be an apartment building, to try to rescue possibly some survivors.
[26:26] But yes, as you say, the hopes are not high on finding more people here.
[26:32] But there is hope in La Huayra, where miraculous stories come up every single day.
[26:39] For those that have been found alive days later, I just mentioned that father and son.
[26:44] What condition are they in?
[26:46] What kind of support do they need?
[26:49] Well, they need all the support they can get.
[26:50] But let me tell you, I went to La Huayra and one of, to one of this, let's say, refugee camp,
[26:57] because there is no other way to describe it.
[26:59] But it is extremely unorganized.
[27:02] People there are surviving with whatever charity they can get.
[27:07] There is no structure.
[27:09] There are no tents.
[27:10] Some of them sleeping on the floor with little to no clothes on.
[27:16] And they're in need of medical attention.
[27:18] Paramedics are there and doctors are there on the ground, but they cannot mobilize everywhere.
[27:24] It is a devastation that goes beyond imaginable.
[27:27] And the amount of effort that doctors are putting in right now, it's incredible.
[27:33] But it's not enough.
[27:34] And people are starting to feel that.
[27:37] How are people doing?
[27:38] What's the mood been like as the scale of this disaster really comes into focus?
[27:43] Well, people fear that because it is taking so long to recover not only survivors, of course,
[27:52] but also those who are deceased underneath the buildings that fell, that they might get sick.
[27:59] There is not enough medicine.
[28:01] There are not enough doctors treating them.
[28:04] But beyond that, they are just in need of support, mental support, and even a hug.
[28:11] I mean, I've been walking around different areas, and people are just trying, trying to get hugged, you know, between families.
[28:19] They're desperate, trying to look for their missing and their loved ones.
[28:23] And there are others who survived who are desperate, trying to communicate with their families abroad.
[28:28] Let's not forget that Venezuela has a massive amount of people who fled the country years ago.
[28:34] And most of these families are apart.
[28:36] They are not in contact right now.
[28:39] So people right now, without connections, without a phone, without anywhere to contact them,
[28:46] are pleading to international media or to the media, the local media,
[28:50] to try to find, help them find this family members who may be in other places.
[28:57] There's been a strong international response to this disaster with many countries pledging aid and other assistance.
[29:04] What is it that Venezuela needs to meet current and the challenges that are to come in the future?
[29:11] Well, the challenges right now are evidence, and I think the international community and the rescue teams,
[29:15] the special forces that are here from other countries immediately recognize what the challenges are.
[29:20] The reconstruction is going to take a long time, and also the assistance of those who survived is going also to be a challenge.
[29:30] Hospitals we know are overwhelmed with patients, and it is going to be hard to try to treat them all.
[29:37] I've spoken to doctors who tell me that they need to focus on those who might survive,
[29:43] and they are just moving on with those who might not.
[29:48] And this is really hard to try to understand and explain, but when you go on the ground and see the magnitude of this tragedy,
[29:57] then you begin to know the struggle within these different groups.
[30:02] But yes, there are different special teams from other countries.
[30:06] I saw yesterday the U.S. team and Salvador and Mexico is also working very hard to try to find survivors.
[30:16] But basically, when you go on the ground, you see them working on the rescue efforts,
[30:22] and then the military trying to control a little bit the area after the chaos that was last week.
[30:28] Oh, Anna, Vanessa Herrero, our hearts just break for Venezuela.
[30:32] Thank you so much. I will keep checking in with you.
[30:35] Stay with us. Morning News Now. We'll be right back after this break.
[30:40] With a big holiday weekend coming up, we are back with an urgent beach warning.
[30:44] San Diego Fire Rescue says lifeguards have pulled hundreds of people from dangerous rip currents this month alone.
[30:51] Well, before you head into the water, experts say take a moment to check conditions and talk with the lifeguards on duty.
[30:56] NBC reporter Dana Williams from our San Diego station has more.
[30:59] Surfers are breaking their boards. Leashes are snapping.
[31:07] We've got people jumping in the water just for a quick dip, and they're getting sucked 200 yards out to sea.
[31:12] And they know how to swim, but the rip currents, they have been so strong that they can't even fight it.
[31:18] Marine Safety Lieutenant John Mayher with San Diego Fire Rescue's lifeguard division has been at this for 26 years.
[31:24] But this year, he says he hasn't seen anything quite like it.
[31:27] March, April, May. So we had record rescues, water rescues throughout the spring.
[31:33] It happens, even to swimmers who dive in feeling pretty good.
[31:39] We get people that very rarely go in the ocean, and we get very experienced swimmers.
[31:43] In the month of June alone, San Diego lifeguards have rescued 770 people in the water.
[31:49] And I bet you can guess what happened in the vast majority of those cases.
[31:53] 685 were in rip currents.
[31:56] Yeah, we literally just arrived about an hour ago. But yes, the plan is beach.
[31:59] Yeah, all day.
[32:01] Maja and Abby came from Arizona to cool off for the weekend.
[32:05] I like to draw a little, listen to audio books.
[32:08] Yeah.
[32:08] Read, for sure.
[32:09] And I love to swim, too.
[32:10] Yeah, definitely.
[32:11] Yeah, get in the water.
[32:12] Though she admits swimming isn't her strong suit.
[32:15] Oh, it's kind of scary, like, you know, the idea that you can get pulled out by the rip current and whatnot.
[32:21] Speaking of...
[32:22] Something about the colors, right? I don't know.
[32:25] Does she know how to spot them?
[32:27] They're, like, shaped like this.
[32:30] Yeah.
[32:31] Okay, maybe need some work. And when in doubt, you can always ask an expert.
[32:35] But if you look down here in front of the rocks, you'll see a gap in the reef and the seaweed that is clear, sandy-looking water.
[32:47] That water is moving diagonally out and to the north.
[32:52] So, he says, take a good look next time you head in the water for a swim.
[32:56] Or better yet, just keep it simple.
[32:58] I stay where I can touch, so that's it. Yeah.
[33:01] All right. Our thanks to Dana Williams for that report.
[33:05] If you do ever get caught in a rip current, listen to this.
[33:08] Do not panic.
[33:09] Experts say the best thing to do is float and then swim parallel to shore until you're out of the current.
[33:15] If you can't get free, wave for help and let a lifeguard come to you.
[33:18] That could be some life-saving advice there.
[33:20] Well, from here on out, it is win or go home in the World Cup for each team that made it out of the group stage.
[33:26] And it did not take long for the first knockout round to bring the drama over the weekend.
[33:30] Canada is the first team to survive the round of 32 thanks to some late-game heroics.
[33:36] They beat South Africa by a score of 1-0 with that one goal coming in the 92nd minute.
[33:43] And this isn't deja vu, but once again, Lionel Messi is riding himself into the history books at this World Cup.
[33:49] On Saturday, he scored on a masterful free kick during Argentina's 3-1 victory over Jordan.
[33:54] That makes him the first player ever to score in seven consecutive World Cup games.
[33:59] Wow. For all the latest, let's bring in NLS analyst and former U.S. Women's National Team member Casey White.
[34:05] Casey, we're so happy to have you back with us.
[34:07] Let's start with where things stand in the bracket, the round of 32 matchups.
[34:11] They got set in stone over the weekend.
[34:13] What jumps out at you when you look at the road to the final?
[34:17] This is where it gets really good and entertaining, so I'm excited about this round.
[34:21] Mexico versus Ecuador tomorrow is a game that will be very high-octane.
[34:26] It's in Mexico City and definitely a game to keep an eye on.
[34:31] That is going to be exciting because Ecuador is in some good form coming in and qualifying and playing Mexico.
[34:36] All right. We've got three games today featuring some real heavyweights, Brazil, Germany, and the Netherlands.
[34:42] What do you like about today's matches in particular?
[34:45] The interesting one is starting off the day, Brazil versus Japan.
[34:48] Japan is able to tie the Netherlands, which shows that they can play against top teams.
[34:54] But Vinny Jr., for Brazil, has the goal-scoring prowess that he can bring to the game.
[34:59] The Netherlands got a hard draw with Morocco as well.
[35:03] Morocco, a semifinalist in 2022.
[35:06] The Netherlands have the history.
[35:08] It also is one of those small favorites that people are thinking if they catch fire, they can go far.
[35:13] Has anything happened so far that's made you maybe change who you're thinking could win it all?
[35:21] Not necessarily at this point.
[35:23] France is the out-and-out favorite for most teams.
[35:27] Dembele got a hat trick, so he is supporting Kylian Mbappe and what he's done on the goal-scoring side.
[35:33] Any team that wins usually needs the X factor, but they also need another player to be able to score.
[35:38] Argentina has Messi, but in the last game they were able to get two more goal scorers going.
[35:43] And then you have Spain. That's the biggest question mark.
[35:47] They started a little bit slow, and so there's still one that I'm wondering,
[35:51] will they still stay a favorite throughout this tournament?
[35:54] All right, we've got to now talk Team USA.
[35:56] Of course, everybody is so excited. They play their next match on Wednesday.
[36:00] Walk us through, though. Who are they playing?
[36:02] If you're Team USA right now, what's the biggest reason for confidence heading into the round of 32?
[36:07] What are you concerned about for the team?
[36:10] The United States plays Bosnia.
[36:12] One of the concerns or things they have to be aware of is the fact that Bosnia played in a playoff game
[36:18] that mattered against Italy to even get into the World Cup.
[36:21] So they are tested. Then they came through their group,
[36:24] so they understand how to sit back and just make it hard on their opposition.
[36:28] The United States should be excited, though.
[36:30] Eight goals in three games, five different goal scorers,
[36:34] and Christian Pulisic hasn't even played that much yet and hasn't scored a goal.
[36:38] Him being reinserted back into the lineup gives absolute new life to this group.
[36:44] He distracts so much.
[36:46] And what I love about what they've done is they've scored in the first 11 minutes in all three games.
[36:52] So everyone watching should expect a very quick start from this team.
[36:56] Do you think they're worried about that late loss the other day?
[36:59] I know it was a game that did not have an impact on their future within the tournament,
[37:03] but, you know, is that sort of an ego-bruising problem for them at all?
[37:07] I think worry is a strong word, but I do think it'll be in the back of their mind in a good way.
[37:13] Humility is not a bad thing.
[37:14] It's just moments to understand that anything can happen in this beautiful game that we like to watch.
[37:20] So they'll keep that in mind, but I think they'll channel it in the right way to stay hungry.
[37:23] Casey, thanks for joining us.
[37:26] I'm sure we'll be chatting again soon.
[37:27] We appreciate your time.
[37:28] Thank you so much.
[37:30] Coming up on Morning News Now, college grads facing a real threat from artificial intelligence.
[37:35] Do you be worried it's going to take jobs?
[37:37] Oh, it looks like it.
[37:39] You think so?
[37:39] In some situations, it definitely looks like it.
[37:42] When we return, a look at how AI is changing the job market.
[37:46] And are you ready for it?
[37:48] That's right.
[37:49] Swifties, our girl, Taylor Swift, and Travis Kelsey could be just days away from the next era
[37:54] of their love story, how prediction markets are cashing in on the excitement.
[37:58] Next, we'll be right back.
[38:05] Welcome back.
[38:05] It's the time of the year when college graduates are tossing their caps in the air and preparing
[38:09] to enter the workforce.
[38:11] But the class of 2026 is entering a job market full of uncertainty and high unemployment rates
[38:16] for Gen Z.
[38:17] There are also growing concerns that artificial intelligence will make a difficult job search
[38:21] even tougher.
[38:23] NBC News chief business correspondent Christine Romans has a look at how AI is impacting the job market.
[38:28] With every technological innovation comes change.
[38:34] The printing press, the internet, smartphones.
[38:37] Now, artificial intelligence is beginning to transform our world and our jobs.
[38:42] The big questions, how and how much?
[38:45] Are you worried that AI is going to replace a lot of jobs, especially for young people?
[38:48] Am I worried it's going to take jobs?
[38:50] Yes.
[38:50] But do I think there'll be a net gain?
[38:52] Yes.
[38:52] Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban says it's creative destruction.
[38:56] No, not a Terminator-esque war.
[38:58] I'll be back.
[39:01] But a battle in our workplaces as companies and employees figure out just how to incorporate
[39:06] artificial intelligence and what jobs might go extinct.
[39:10] A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that while Americans are using AI more,
[39:15] seven in ten believe it will cut jobs, with Gen Z the most pessimistic.
[39:20] It's something high school student Tristan Hamilton thinks about.
[39:23] Do you ever worry it's going to take jobs?
[39:24] Oh, it looks like it.
[39:27] You think so?
[39:27] In some situations it definitely looks like it.
[39:29] I think a lot of people believe that it's more efficient than having a human do something in some cases.
[39:36] Goldman Sachs estimates that 300 million jobs globally could be exposed to AI automation.
[39:42] But it also finds that AI could help create jobs too, especially in the build out of power and data center infrastructure.
[39:49] Neela Richardson, chief economist at payroll processor ADP, is tracking AI's effects on the job market
[39:56] and found early career and AI-exposed fields like software engineering are most vulnerable.
[40:02] Too often people think of AI like a weather system, like it's a thunderstorm that's going to rain down on us
[40:08] and all we can do is take cover and get an umbrella and wait for impact.
[40:12] And so for simple tasks, summarizing documents, looking at data, yeah, there's AI for that.
[40:19] But for more complex tasks, AI is more of a teammate and that can help us do that strategic creative work.
[40:27] The answer, she says, is helping early career workers skip a level to learn the tasks that AI can't just replace.
[40:34] AI promises to augment how we work, not just automate it.
[40:39] And this is what makes it special by building platforms to do more things, to scale human potential,
[40:46] to do things that humans couldn't do and to create value.
[40:49] The trick is how to move everybody along.
[40:53] Raise Us is a brand new collaboration between states, educators and major companies like Amazon, Anthropic and Bank of America.
[41:00] It's setting out to help workers survive the AI upheaval.
[41:04] Bank of America's CEO, Brian Moynihan, says companies need to keep hiring.
[41:10] Our job, a corporation's job, is to hire people, pay them well, train them well, get them ready for this brave new thing called AI, etc.,
[41:16] and make sure that they're successful.
[41:19] So I think we as corporate leaders have to take that burden on.
[41:22] He says it's companies' responsibility to help workers adapt.
[41:26] Our job as employers is apply AI, but do it in a way that you're making sure that you're rescaling your people,
[41:32] retraining your people and using them first to absorb the capacity demand you have.
[41:36] And many young people already getting ready for a workplace with AI.
[41:40] That's such a big discussion now amongst people in my generation.
[41:44] Like, what are we going to do?
[41:45] Because AI is taking over.
[41:46] Oh my gosh, you have to be prepared.
[41:48] So I think it's just learning how to work alongside.
[41:50] It's important to learn how to harness AI so you can ride the wave rather than having it crash over you.
[41:58] To do that, Mark Cuban says use AI to learn anything you're curious about.
[42:03] And Neela Richardson, the ADP economist, says people skills will matter more than ever.
[42:09] Plus, AI might do certain tasks, but people will ask the questions, evaluate the answers, and decide what to do.
[42:16] AI is a tool, and we're in charge of how to use it.
[42:20] All right, Christine, super interesting.
[42:22] Thank you so much.
[42:23] Well, here in New York City, recent permit filings and a few other clues have fueled speculation among Taylor Swift fans
[42:31] that her highly anticipated wedding to Super Bowl winning tight end Travis Kelsey could be as soon as this weekend.
[42:37] And prediction markets are cashing in on the Swiftie speculation.
[42:40] NBC News correspondent Valerie Castro has more on the millions of dollars riding on the wedding of the year.
[42:48] The upcoming wedding between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey fueling speculation about every aspect of the big day,
[42:55] with people throwing down big bets on the nuptials details.
[42:59] The American royal wedding is next week, probably.
[43:03] So how much are people gambling on things like the venue, bridal party, and guest list?
[43:08] Are you ready for it?
[43:09] Nearly $4.2 million traded so far on the online prediction market, Kelsey.
[43:14] Are fans drawn to these prediction markets because it makes them feel like they're somehow involved,
[43:20] they're a part of the celebration or the detail?
[43:23] Yeah, I definitely think that there is a desire to participate in these different bets
[43:29] because it's a way to feel connected to Taylor and to be part of her story.
[43:33] Kelsey says about half of the money wagered is just on the location,
[43:36] New York City the favorite spot after unconfirmed reports that Madison Square Garden could be where the couple ties the knot over the 4th of July weekend.
[43:45] I am so team MSG for Taylor Swift's wedding.
[43:48] Pauley Market also taking predictions on invites.
[43:52] Kelsey's teammate Patrick Mahomes and one of Swift's besties, Selena Gomez, topping the bets.
[43:57] Dollar figures for entertainment markets still pale in comparison to sports.
[44:01] Kelsey reporting $11 billion in trades on the World Cup so far.
[44:05] The NBA Finals hit just over $2 billion.
[44:08] But Kelsey says its entertainment market is already up 100% compared to all of last year.
[44:14] And it's adding a market to trade on who Swift will wear when she weds.
[44:18] Nearly every part of the life of this showgirl now ways people can make or lose money.
[44:24] Valerie Castro, NBC News.
[44:27] Ooh, baby, I can't wait to see what's going to happen now.
[44:29] All right, coming up, her art became an inspiration for millions of Americans.
[44:33] Now trailblazing ballerina Misty Copeland is looking back at her storied career.
[44:39] What do you love about America?
[44:41] The ability to be whoever you want to be, to become more than your circumstances.
[44:48] Her conversation with our Tom Yama is about how she's hoping to give back to the next generation of dancers.
[44:55] This is Morning News Now.
[45:01] Finally this hour, the story of a trailblazer in the ballet world.
[45:05] Misty Copeland was the first ever African-American female principal dancer in the American ballet theater's history.
[45:12] Now she's become a role model for the next generation.
[45:15] NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Yama sat down with Copeland for his series, Great Americans.
[45:20] What do you love about America?
[45:22] The ability to be whoever you want to be, to become more than your circumstances, to have dreams that can truly be fulfilled.
[45:34] She's a once-in-a-lifetime ballerina, a trailblazer, and a role model.
[45:44] It's something Misty Copeland never dreamed of growing up in poverty.
[45:48] It was at 13 years old at the Boys and Girls Club that I was introduced through this free ballet program to the local ballet teacher.
[45:56] And in that first class, she said to me, I think you're a prodigy.
[46:03] Dancing on point, or on your toes, normally takes years to master.
[46:09] Copeland was doing it within months.
[46:11] Did you realize at that point, I have a gift?
[46:14] I was being told, but it was not something that I was really paying attention to.
[46:18] I grew up in a household where, you know, there's a single parent.
[46:22] We were houseless for most of my upbringing.
[46:25] At the time that I started ballet, me and my five siblings were living in a one-bedroom motel.
[46:30] Do you think there was a part of you that thought maybe these ballet shoes are my ticket out of this life?
[46:35] Eventually, yes.
[46:37] That definitely became something that pushed me, you know, this feeling that I could be part of something that's bigger than myself.
[46:47] I could leave the circumstances that I'm in.
[46:53] Copeland's rapid rise at the world-renowned American ballet theater wasn't easy, partly because there was nobody who looked like her.
[47:02] I'm in a company of over 90 dancers, and I'm the only black woman.
[47:07] She says she was told she didn't have the typical ballerina body.
[47:11] When I became a professional, there was a shift in the conversation.
[47:16] And I'm like, how am I, how did I go from being a prodigy to no longer having the ideal body?
[47:21] What I've kind of deciphered in the language is like, this is, this is an acceptable way of saying you don't belong in this art form.
[47:30] You don't have the right skin color.
[47:31] But her performances quickly redefined who ballet was for in America.
[47:38] What was like the first big accomplishment that you're like, oh, wow, I'm on my way?
[47:41] Being cast as the Firebird, to see the turnout on that first night in New York City,
[47:46] the House of Metropolitan Opera was sold out, and it was full of black and brown people and a lot of young people.
[47:54] It was the first time we saw something like that.
[47:56] It was a cultural shift in the way that I think people looked at what ballet means to America,
[48:03] and that it can be inclusive when people see themselves reflected.
[48:08] You take a bow.
[48:10] She became the first and is still the only African-American female principal dancer in American Ballet Theater's 85-year history,
[48:20] inspiring leagues of young ballerinas.
[48:23] She took her final bow last year and is now giving back to the community that gave so much to her.
[48:31] One, two, up, three, four.
[48:34] The Misty Copeland Foundation offers free dance classes to kids in underserved communities
[48:39] and includes a pathway to formal training at prestigious dance schools.
[48:44] We have free ballet programs in the Bronx and in Harlem.
[48:47] That's how you, I mean, that's how I was given an opportunity,
[48:50] and we're going into community centers and spaces where people never would have imagined they could take a ballet class.
[48:56] What would you say to a little girl who's out there who is maybe going through something very tough
[49:02] and she wants to do something that is very hard to do, like become a ballerina?
[49:07] What would you say?
[49:08] It's so important to trust your instincts and to know that this is truly something you want to do.
[49:16] It's so important to have a support system and build that and have people to turn to,
[49:22] especially on those days when it's tough and maybe you feel like you can't do it.
[49:25] That truly has been the power behind me and my success.
[49:32] Thanks to Tom Yamas for that conversation.
[49:34] So wonderful.
[49:35] That's going to do it for this hour of Morning News Now, but stay with us.
[49:38] There's a lot going on and the news continues right now.
[49:40] Good morning and welcome to The Work Week.
[49:54] Thanks for starting your Monday with us.
[49:55] I'm Savannah Sellers.
[49:56] Joe is off right now on Morning News Now.
[49:59] Summer scorcher.
[50:00] Millions of Americans are under heat alerts this morning with record temperatures expected to bake the country ahead of the holiday weekend.
[50:07] While on the West Coast, three firefighters killed while battling wildfires that have left a trail of destruction in Colorado and Utah.
[50:15] We'll have the latest on the extreme weather and the furious flames that are forcing local residents to evacuate.
[50:22] Also this morning, the Middle East on edge again after the United States and Iran traded a new round of strikes over the weekend.
[50:29] How the latest flare up is threatening to unravel the already fragile peace effort.
[50:33] And Luigi Mangione and Alec Murdoch are both back in court in separate high-profile cases.
[50:40] Mangione pushing for a potential plea deal in the killing of the United Healthcare CEO.
[50:44] While Murdoch is attempting to clear his name in the killing of his wife and son.
[50:49] Plus, how one woman ground her way to the top by blending her passion for coffee and making it into a multi-million dollar brand.
[50:58] We'll speak with the founder of the Nitro Bar in our latest edition of Women Mean Business.
[51:04] I'm very excited. I'm going to try some delicious-sounding lattes this morning and tell you all about that business.
[51:09] We're going to start this hour with that major heat wave that is impacting most of the country.
[51:14] Ahead, of course, of the Fourth of July weekend.
[51:16] Millions of Americans are under heat advisories as temperatures pushing triple digits are being reported in cities from Chicago to New York.
[51:24] For more, let's bring in NBC News correspondent, Shaquille Brewster, who joins us from Chicago with the latest.
[51:28] Shaq, good morning.
[51:31] Good morning, Savannah.
[51:32] It's already early or still early in the morning, but it is already very hot here in Chicago as the city braces for its first heat wave of the season.
[51:41] We know temperatures are expected to hit 90 degrees today, but you can expect it to feel like triple digits for much of the week.
[51:48] Those are conditions not just experienced here in the Midwest, but hitting folks all the way to the East Coast.
[51:54] This morning, millions bracing for a holiday heat wave ahead of the Fourth of July.
[52:00] Forecasters warning of dangerously hot conditions with record temperatures soaring throughout the week.
[52:07] 139 million people are under heat alerts from Minneapolis to Tallahassee with the swelter extending into the Northeast.
[52:15] New York City opening its public pools with the mayor jumping in wearing a different kind of swimsuit.
[52:22] The week ahead expected to feel more than 100 degrees in multiple states, while out west, deadly wildfires raging across the Rockies, with more than a dozen fast-moving blazes burning through the region.
[52:37] Officials say three Colorado firefighters were killed and two others were injured over the weekend.
[52:42] In a desperate 2,000 acres, placing hundreds of homes at risk and prompting evacuations, one family's condo was completely consumed by the blaze.
[52:53] There's nothing but cinder block foundations left.
[52:57] Millions now under air quality alerts from California to Colorado.
[53:01] It comes as search and rescues are still underway in Kentucky, where catastrophic flash flooding overwhelmed the state over the weekend, killing at least four people and prompting dozens of water rescues.
[53:13] The governor signaling the end is near.
[53:17] Everybody out there, stay safe.
[53:18] The rain is just about done in all of Kentucky, and then we will dig out.
[53:22] And what's concerning so many officials, especially here in Chicago, is that there will be little relief from the heat, even when the sun goes down.
[53:32] Those feels like temperatures will stay right around 80 degrees, especially downtown Chicago.
[53:37] That's why you have officials saying, hey, make sure you take care of your neighbors, check on them, stay inside as much as possible, and stay hydrated.
[53:45] Make sure you're drinking water before you're thirsty.
[53:47] Savannah?
[53:48] All right, Chuck.
[53:49] Good tips.
[53:50] Take them.
[53:50] Go get cooled off.
[53:51] We appreciate you being out there for us.
[53:53] Well, now let's get a closer look at just how hot you can expect it to get this week in your area.
[53:58] With our morning news now, weather, we have meteorologist Violetti-Yaz with us this morning.
[54:02] It's a hot one, isn't it?
[54:04] Hey, Savannah.
[54:05] Yeah, it is going to be a very uncomfortable week.
[54:07] We have very, very high temperatures in the forecast here through Thursday, 139 million people at risk.
[54:14] We're talking a life-threatening and prolonged heat wave.
[54:17] Heat index values potentially as high as 112 in some spots.
[54:22] And you can see those alerts expand from the upper Midwest all the way down through parts of Florida.
[54:27] So where is this going to be concentrated today?
[54:29] Well, really across the middle of the country, from Sioux Falls all the way down through parts of Florida.
[54:34] Heat index in Tallahassee today as high as 108.
[54:37] And you can see plenty of triple digits on the map from Dallas up through Louisville, up through Chicago and extending up through the Sioux Falls area as well.
[54:47] For tomorrow, this does start to shift ever so slightly to the east.
[54:51] So we'll start to see numbers just as high in places like Lexington, Atlanta, even Charleston, up to 101 degrees.
[54:58] And you can see we're still very much so in it across the middle of the country.
[55:02] So this is something that's going to last for several days.
[55:05] By the later portion of this week, that's when we really start to see things ramp up across the east coast.
[55:10] We'll see triple-digit temperatures potentially for two or even three days in some very big cities here in this city.
[55:17] In New York specifically, 103 Wednesday through 104 on Friday.
[55:22] Again, mainly heat index temperatures here.
[55:24] In terms of the severe weather threat, that's mainly going to be concentrated across the middle of the country today.
[55:29] Not such an elevated risk.
[55:31] It has been a very, very rough, severe weather season for the Midwest, but a slight risk in store for today, nonetheless, with the potential for damaging winds and also localized hail with that.
[55:42] So today, heavy rain and thunderstorms for the middle of the country.
[55:46] Just some isolated showers elsewhere.
[55:48] Heading into tomorrow, we'll see perhaps a cluster of thunderstorms on the tail end of this front across the northeastern United States.
[55:55] So a very ample moisture is going to not only fuel the potential for these thunderstorms, but, of course, bringing that heat index very, very high when you combine the very high temperatures along with the very high humidity levels in the next couple of days.
[56:08] So a very rough weekend store.
[56:10] You'll want to make sure you're checking on your vulnerable neighbors, just like Shaq said.
[56:14] The elderly, you want to make sure that they have what they need.
[56:17] A quick check to Friday.
[56:19] Of course, a huge travel week ahead of the 4th of July.
[56:22] Travel spots that are going to be dealing with some issues perhaps across parts of Florida.
[56:26] So Miami, I'm thinking, as we head into Friday.
[56:29] Then on the 4th, again, no major storms to worry about.
[56:33] So that's good news there.
[56:34] But, of course, some of the typical spots, Florida, yet again, with the potential for those isolated, gusty thunderstorms.
[56:39] Plains and Midwest could be dealing with some gusty storms as well.
[56:42] And then your fireworks forecast, again, some isolated spots, but luckily no major, major systems to worry about at this time, Savannah.
[56:49] All right.
[56:50] There's a little bit of good news there.
[56:51] Thank you so much.
[56:52] Well, in the Middle East, a new round of attacks between the United States and Iran appears to be over for now.
[56:57] Both sides traded strikes over the weekend in a new threat to peace efforts.
[57:01] But NBC News is learning that both sides are still planning to meet in Qatar in the coming days to continue talks over a long-term deal.
[57:09] NBC News Chief International Correspondent Keir Simmons joins us from Jerusalem.
[57:12] Keir, good morning.
[57:16] Hey, Savannah.
[57:16] Good morning to you.
[57:17] You're right.
[57:17] We've seen four days of conflict.
[57:20] Now, that effort to get those U.S.-Iran talks back on track.
[57:24] President Trump just posted Iran has requested a meeting.
[57:29] It will take place tomorrow in Doha.
[57:32] I'm told by a source familiar with the talks that it will be technical teams figuring out how to move forward on that memorandum of understanding.
[57:41] But there's confusion, too.
[57:42] Iran's deputy foreign minister saying that it is not confirmed.
[57:48] This morning, the U.S. and Iran appear to have pressed pause after a weekend of escalating strikes.
[57:57] U.S. Central Command releasing grainy videos saying it hit Iranian missile and drone storage sites and radar locations.
[58:05] President Trump had vowed to respond after Iran hit a ship trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz outside Iranian waters Thursday.
[58:13] You're going to find out.
[58:14] The U.S. hitting multiple Iranian targets on Friday and Saturday nights, less than a week after Vice President J.D. Vance in Switzerland declared he'd agreed a de-confliction deal with Tehran.
[58:28] Iran responding by targeting another ship, as well as Bahrain and Kuwait, with its military releasing this footage, though it's impossible for NBC News to independently verify when it was filmed.
[58:40] Just days after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had visited those countries in a show of support.
[58:48] President Trump writing in part, they're making a point when we will be forced to militarily complete the job we very successfully started, adding Iran will no longer exist.
[58:59] And if the Iranian regime thinks for a second that President Trump is going to sit by, stand by, while Iran continues to attack international shipping without a response, or our bases without a response, they're sadly mistaken.
[59:15] It's a battle of wills. Iranian officials insisting the memorandum of understanding signed with the U.S. puts Iran in charge of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
[59:25] And they say the agreement compels Israel to halt strikes on Iranian proxy Hezbollah.
[59:31] Despite that, this weekend, Israel fired on Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon.
[59:36] While Iran's president, according to Iranian state media, says that $6 billion worth of Iranian money held in Qatar will be released for Iran, the Qatari's not confirming that.
[59:52] But, Savannah, the war may be over for now.
[59:55] What we're seeing on multiple fronts are both sides battling over what the peace should look like. Savannah?
[1:00:02] All right, Kir, thank you so much.
[1:00:04] Well, this morning in Washington, President Trump is pushing for his new pick for ICE director.
[1:00:09] This comes just days after the administration saw victories in two immigration cases at the Supreme Court.
[1:00:15] For more, let's bring in NBC News senior White House correspondent Gabe Gutierrez.
[1:00:18] He joins us from the White House with the latest. Hey, Gabe, good morning.
[1:00:21] Savannah, good morning. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement hasn't had a Senate-confirmed director since 2017.
[1:00:28] All of its leaders since then have served in an acting capacity.
[1:00:31] But the president is doubling down on his deportation agenda after controversies earlier this year.
[1:00:39] With immigration enforcement in the spotlight this morning, President Trump nominating former Oklahoma State Trooper Lance Schroyer to head ICE.
[1:00:48] Schroyer's a close ally of Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen, who calls Schroyer a great pick.
[1:00:54] The agency's facing new scrutiny, with a DHS watchdog set to review an increase in deaths of detainees at ICE facilities.
[1:01:01] A DHS spokesperson saying in a statement that there has been no spike in deaths.
[1:01:06] The nomination follows a pair of victories for the administration at the Supreme Court,
[1:01:11] including a ruling to remove legal protections from thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants in the U.S., clearing a path for their deportation.
[1:01:19] Be here underneath a permanent status or we'll help you get back to your country.
[1:01:24] President Trump's also touting new progress in remaking the nation's capital, touring sites of current and future renovations from Lafayette Park,
[1:01:33] just north of the White House, to a public golf course, East Potomac, that the president says he wants to turn into a championship course.
[1:01:40] Later, his motorcade riding around Memorial Circle between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial,
[1:01:46] where the president plans to build a massive, triumphal arch, sparking a growing public backlash.
[1:01:52] Democrats argue his pet projects will backfire in the upcoming midterm elections.
[1:01:57] Former President Biden in a fiery speech Saturday attacking President Trump's, quote, vanity projects.
[1:02:03] Tearing down the east wing of the White House, making room for his ballroom?
[1:02:09] Put his name on a Kennedy Center.
[1:02:11] What a loser.
[1:02:12] Meanwhile, President Trump says the reflecting pool outside the Lincoln Memorial will be drained again shortly after the country's 250th anniversary celebrations
[1:02:23] to repair damage that he blames on vandals.
[1:02:27] He says six people have been arrested, but no court documents have been made public, Savannah.
[1:02:32] All right, Gabe, thank you very much.
[1:02:34] Well, accused CEO killer Luigi Mangione is back in federal court this morning for a pretrial hearing
[1:02:39] as his defense team reportedly pursues a possible plea deal.
[1:02:42] He's accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown New York City hotel back in December 2024.
[1:02:51] NBC News senior national correspondent Stephanie Goss joins us now from outside federal court in Laura Manhattan.
[1:02:55] Steph, good morning.
[1:02:56] So could there be a plea deal discussion today?
[1:03:00] Hey, Savannah, it's possible, but a source familiar to the matter tells NBC News that they were really close to getting that plea deal last week,
[1:03:08] and then it fell apart.
[1:03:09] So more likely this hearing is going to focus on scheduling and the jury questionnaire.
[1:03:14] And right now, prosecutors are saying that the defense team wants to ask potential jurors questions that are too personal.
[1:03:20] They're also upset because the defense team, they say, is looking to ask too many duplicative questions about the health insurance industry.
[1:03:29] So they'll hash out those discussions, and they'll also talk about the schedule for this trial.
[1:03:33] They may even set an actual trial date.
[1:03:35] It's expected to start early next year, Savannah.
[1:03:38] So if there isn't a plea deal step, what are the next major steps before trial?
[1:03:43] Well, they have to iron out, definitely have to iron out this jury questionnaire,
[1:03:47] and that's the process to pick a jury.
[1:03:49] And that's a complicated process, specifically in this case, in part because of the notoriety of the case.
[1:03:56] So many people are familiar with what's going on.
[1:03:59] And the other things that they're going to have to hash out, and this has been an argument all along from this defense team,
[1:04:04] is that you also have the state case going on at the same time, and they're trying to navigate those issues as well.
[1:04:10] That's going to factor into the scheduling and their arguments.
[1:04:14] So look to that to be a kind of sticking matter in the federal case, Savannah.
[1:04:18] So, Steph, Mangione also faces separate state charges in New York in the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson.
[1:04:24] What is the latest in that case?
[1:04:28] Well, Savannah, it's been interesting this month.
[1:04:29] Earlier this month, the judge in the state case, Judge Caro, said that the defense team was going to pursue what's called a psychiatric defense.
[1:04:37] And that would mean that during the trial, the defense would argue to the jury that their client didn't deserve murder, too,
[1:04:43] that instead he deserved manslaughter, which is far less time in prison.
[1:04:47] But it is also a tacit admission that their client was responsible for the killing of Brian Thompson.
[1:04:53] And within 24 hours of the judge talking about that defense, the defense team said they were going to withdraw their intent to pursue it.
[1:05:01] So that case is proceeding now back to normal.
[1:05:04] And the date for the trial is set for September 8th.
[1:05:07] The judge says they're going to stick to that date, Savannah.
[1:05:10] All right, Steph.
[1:05:11] Goss for us from lower Manhattan.
[1:05:12] Appreciate it, Steph.
[1:05:13] Thanks.
[1:05:14] We have breaking news this morning.
[1:05:16] A move in the media world making some waves here.
[1:05:18] Our parent company, Comcast, just announced that it plans to split into two publicly traded companies
[1:05:24] by spinning off NBCUniversal and the British broadcaster Sky.
[1:05:29] That company will continue to produce media and entertainment, allowing Comcast to focus on its broadband business.
[1:05:34] This follows Comcast spinoff of other cable networks, including CNBC and MSNOW, into a new separate company, Versant.
[1:05:42] For more on this, let's bring in NBC News Business and Data correspondent, Brian Chung.
[1:05:45] Brian, good morning.
[1:05:46] Good morning.
[1:05:47] Interesting news for us all to wake up to this morning as employees of this company, at least at this moment.
[1:05:51] What more can you tell us about the split and what investors are saying?
[1:05:53] Yes, certainly making waves in this building where our parent company is NBCUniversal and its parent company is Comcast,
[1:05:59] but also making waves to the overall media industry and what has been another big story of a large change in the corporate structure of this massive media company.
[1:06:07] Again, what we're talking about here is Comcast saying that they're going to split off their media and entertainment business.
[1:06:12] That would be NBCUniversal.
[1:06:14] That would include our news arm as well as the, you know, entertainment side of NBC, the TV shows that are produced by that particular network,
[1:06:21] as well as the Universal side of things, the theme parks, the movie studios.
[1:06:25] That spinoff will also include the British broadcaster Sky, as you mentioned.
[1:06:30] Comcast, on the other hand, is going to maintain its broadband wireless entertainment platforms.
[1:06:35] Obviously, you people who have purchased Xfinity know and are familiar with that side of the business.
[1:06:39] But this transaction, the company says, will take about a year, so it's not something that's going to happen immediately.
[1:06:45] And I think, importantly, the company Comcast will continue to have a roughly 20 percent, it's less than 20 percent stake in NBCUniversal after that spinoff is done.
[1:06:54] There's also some leadership changes.
[1:06:55] Mike Cavanaugh, currently the co-CEO of Comcast, is going to become the CEO of the new NBCUniversal business.
[1:07:01] But, Savannah, this is just an extension of what has been a big change, a big game of musical chairs, if you will, in the media industry.
[1:07:08] We have the Warner Brothers Discovery tie-up with Paramount, Paramount, and Skydance also teaming up.
[1:07:14] Netflix at one point was involved in some of those merger talks.
[1:07:17] And so, of course, there's a lot going on here.
[1:07:18] You imagine this is going to perhaps set up NBCUniversal for maybe even an acquisition down the line.
[1:07:24] That's something I know analysts are thinking about.
[1:07:26] But, again, this is a spinoff that's not going to happen immediately.
[1:07:30] The company is saying it's going to take roughly a year or so.
[1:07:33] Yeah, I was just actually going to ask you about the potential then for NBCUniversal to be purchased by somebody else.
[1:07:38] A lot of times when you see a spinoff happening, when something is consolidated into the smaller company, that is potentially the intention down the road.
[1:07:45] Is that what we think here?
[1:07:46] Yeah, and, again, I think with regards to the Comcast corporate history, we have to remember that it wasn't long ago that they did another spinoff as well.
[1:07:53] Versant, as you mentioned, that is the current company that has brands like CNBC as well as MS Now.
[1:07:59] They were spun off, it was only about a year ago that finished.
[1:08:02] And so we haven't seen Versant get acquired by another company.
[1:08:05] But, of course, that is always the talking point.
[1:08:06] I mean, I think you have to rewind to the AT&T spinoff of Time Warner for a comparison here.
[1:08:12] In that case, it was also a cable company that rolled off a substantial amount of media and entertainment assets.
[1:08:18] And Time Warner ultimately got bought up by Warner Brothers Discovery.
[1:08:21] Then they were purchased by Paramount.
[1:08:23] And now Paramount is merging with Skydance.
[1:08:24] And so you can just see how it's a game of football in some cases with media and acquisition in this space.
[1:08:30] But, again, this is something that we'll be watching very closely, especially here in this building.
[1:08:33] No kidding.
[1:08:34] Certainly is.
[1:08:35] Thank you, Brian.
[1:08:35] I appreciate it.
[1:08:36] Yeah.
[1:08:36] Staying overseas, it's a big moment for the royal family.
[1:08:38] In just a few days, Prince Harry, Meghan, and their two children are expected to return to the U.K. together for the first time in four years.
[1:08:46] NBC News international correspondent Molly Hunter joins us now from London with the latest.
[1:08:49] Molly, good morning.
[1:08:51] Savannah, good morning to you.
[1:08:52] It is a big deal.
[1:08:53] As you say, it's only the second time in the last four years.
[1:08:56] It is only the second time since they left the U.K. officially in 2020 that they are bringing the children back.
[1:09:01] They've both been back a couple of times.
[1:09:03] Harry has been back a number of times solo.
[1:09:05] But the big question on everyone's mind, will there be a family reunion or even a reconciliation?
[1:09:10] We are just going to have to wait and see.
[1:09:12] Take a look.
[1:09:15] This morning, new details about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's upcoming trip back home.
[1:09:20] Next week, a source close to the couple tells NBC News Harry and Meghan are planning to visit the U.K. with their two children,
[1:09:26] seven-year-old Prince Archie and five-year-old Princess Lilibet.
[1:09:30] There are no public events on the calendar for the whole family,
[1:09:33] but Harry and Meghan are set to make a few appearances, including marking the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games,
[1:09:40] an event close to Harry's heart, as well as other charity engagements.
[1:09:45] A Buckingham Palace aide also tells NBC News that while the family was offered royal accommodation,
[1:09:51] that invitation has not been officially accepted.
[1:09:53] The fact that the king invited Harry and Meghan to stay in a royal residence speaks volumes about his willingness to reconcile.
[1:10:01] If they don't accept this, I think that this will really put a question mark over how likely it is for any reconciliation to take place.
[1:10:08] Harry and Meghan left the U.K. six years ago, officially stepping back from their senior working royal duties,
[1:10:14] starting a new chapter in Montecito, California.
[1:10:17] In 2022, they made their first and only trip back to the U.K. as a family of four,
[1:10:22] attending the late Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
[1:10:26] Later that year, Harry and Meghan returned to attend the Queen's funeral.
[1:10:30] And since then, Harry has only ventured across the pond solo,
[1:10:34] attending King Charles' coronation back in 2023,
[1:10:38] sharing a private tea with the king at Clarence House last September.
[1:10:41] But the relationship remains fraught, that meeting just months after this BBC interview.
[1:10:47] I would love reconciliation with my family. Life is precious.
[1:10:51] I don't know how much longer my father has.
[1:10:54] There's been no word on if or when the Sussexes may reunite with the rest of the family during their visit.
[1:11:00] But Harry's sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales, is busier than ever,
[1:11:04] sharing this photo, a rare outing with eldest son Prince George to honor Armed Forces Day.
[1:11:10] The 12-year-old just a few inches away from towering over his mom.
[1:11:15] Kate also posting this triumphant photo after summoning the highest peak in Scotland,
[1:11:20] announcing she completed the National Three Peaks Challenge,
[1:11:23] climbing all three of the U.K.'s highest mountains in just 24 hours.
[1:11:27] I'm so grateful to be here, to be strong enough to walk these hills.
[1:11:31] A remarkable athletic feat, celebrating life after cancer.
[1:11:36] Savannah, so awesome to see Kate recovered, so fit.
[1:11:39] But I just want to be clear, the three nations, the three peaks, sorry, is absolutely no walk in the park.
[1:11:44] This is serious hiking.
[1:11:45] It also raises money for an organization, specifically a cancer organization that Kate supports.
[1:11:50] Savannah?
[1:11:51] Just incredible to see her out there and doing it and doing it to raise awareness.
[1:11:54] Molly, before I let you go, if we could just go back to Harry and Meghan quickly.
[1:11:57] Security in the U.K., it's been a major issue for the couple
[1:12:00] and really kind of a point of contention between them and the royal family.
[1:12:03] Do we have any sense of what protection they might get during their upcoming visit?
[1:12:09] Yeah, the short answer, Savannah, is we don't know.
[1:12:10] As you say, this is definitely front of mind for Harry and Meghan,
[1:12:13] certainly something that Harry has been very, very vocal about over the last couple of years.
[1:12:17] We did reach out to a government official in the last couple of days
[1:12:19] who said he couldn't comment on the specifics of the security arrangement.
[1:12:23] We've gone back to the Sussex camp to ask.
[1:12:25] They couldn't comment.
[1:12:27] But this will be one of the factors that really Harry and Meghan will be making their decisions,
[1:12:30] kind of where they stay, what they do, where they bring their kids based on.
[1:12:34] Savannah?
[1:12:35] All right.
[1:12:35] Molly Hunter for us.
[1:12:36] Thank you so much.
[1:12:38] Well, coming up back in court, Alec Murdoch will return to a courtroom today
[1:12:41] for the first time since his double murder conviction was overturned.
[1:12:45] We'll take a look at what to expect in today's hearing before he goes on trial once again
[1:12:49] for killing his wife and son.
[1:12:51] Stay with us.
[1:12:52] That's next.
[1:12:53] Now, with a closer look at what's making news in the world of politics this morning,
[1:13:05] starting with a primary victory for a Trump-backed candidate in Louisiana.
[1:13:09] NBC News senior national political reporter Sahil Kapoor joins us now.
[1:13:13] Sahil, good morning.
[1:13:15] Good morning, Savannah.
[1:13:16] We begin today in politics with Congresswoman Julia Letlow winning the Republican nomination
[1:13:21] to be the next U.S. senator from Louisiana.
[1:13:24] She clinched victory in a Saturday runoff against former Congressman John Fleming by about 14 points.
[1:13:30] Letlow was endorsed by President Trump as part of his revenge plot
[1:13:33] against two-term Republican Senator Bill Cassidy,
[1:13:36] who voted five years ago to convict Trump for inciting an insurrection in the January 6th impeachment.
[1:13:42] Cassidy was eliminated on the first ballot six weeks ago in a race that highlights the price of
[1:13:47] dissent, even occasional dissent, in Trump's GOP.
[1:13:50] He will no longer be a senator by January.
[1:13:53] And Letlow, who faces Democrat Jamie Davis in the general election,
[1:13:57] is the favorite to win in the red state.
[1:13:58] Meanwhile, in Alaska, a superior court judge ruled that a man with the same name as Republican Senator
[1:14:05] Dan Sullivan is eligible to challenge the incumbent on the ballot in the August primary.
[1:14:11] The ruling overturned the lower court decision sought by Senator Dan Sullivan to disqualify
[1:14:16] the other Dan Sullivan on the grounds that his candidacy is conceived in bad faith
[1:14:20] and designed to confuse voters.
[1:14:22] Senator Sullivan has also claimed that the other Sullivan is a Democratic plant to help his opponent,
[1:14:28] Mary Paltola, allegations that her campaign and party have denied.
[1:14:32] The latest ruling could still be appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court.
[1:14:36] And that is a look at what's making news in politics today.
[1:14:39] Savannah?
[1:14:40] All right, Sahel, thanks so much.
[1:14:41] Well, this morning, Alec Murdoch, the former South Carolina lawyer accused of killing his wife and son,
[1:14:46] heads back to court in his latest attempt at clearing his name.
[1:14:49] It comes after the state's Supreme Court tossed out his conviction last month.
[1:14:53] That opened the door for prosecutors to quickly decide that they will try Murdoch for murder a second time.
[1:14:59] NBC News national correspondent Aaron Gilchrist is outside the courthouse in Lexington, South Carolina.
[1:15:04] Aaron, good morning.
[1:15:07] Hey, Savannah, good morning.
[1:15:08] The high court here overturned that double murder conviction of Alex Murdoch's
[1:15:11] because they said there was jury interference, really adding to this drama that's played out here,
[1:15:17] a legal drama that's played out and gained national attention.
[1:15:20] Today's hearing really is about the lawyers here discussing process with the judge,
[1:15:25] although we could learn when a new trial may start,
[1:15:28] as we're also getting a glimpse of what the defense strategy may look like.
[1:15:32] How you feeling, Alec?
[1:15:36] This morning, Alec Murdoch expected back in a South Carolina courtroom for the first time in more than two years,
[1:15:42] as the once prominent and powerful attorney accused of killing his wife Maggie and youngest son Paul
[1:15:47] could get a date for his retrial.
[1:15:50] Guilty.
[1:15:50] It comes after his double murder conviction was overturned last month when South Carolina's
[1:15:56] Supreme Court ruled Murdoch's right to a fair trial was violated, citing jury interference
[1:16:01] by then court clerk Becky Hill, who the high court said placed her fingers on the scales of justice
[1:16:07] by telling jurors deliberations shouldn't take long and suggesting they watch Murdoch's body language
[1:16:13] when he testified.
[1:16:14] I didn't shoot my wife or my son anytime, ever.
[1:16:19] At trial, prosecutors painted a picture of a man so desperate to cover up financial crimes
[1:16:25] and to maintain the integrity of his well-to-do family's name
[1:16:28] that he carried out the 2021 killings on the family's sprawling ranch to garner public sympathy.
[1:16:33] But his defense has pointed to a lack of evidence,
[1:16:36] and Murdoch has maintained his innocence even after conviction.
[1:16:39] The case has been the focus of multiple true crime docs and series.
[1:16:43] This is the fall of the dynasties, a fall from grace.
[1:16:47] Now, with a new trial on the horizon, Murdoch's legal team is asking for the case to be moved
[1:16:52] to a new jurisdiction and could introduce new witnesses and evidence,
[1:16:56] telling this to Craig last month on Today.
[1:16:58] Is there a new working theory about if it was not Alec who it could have been?
[1:17:03] We do have information that's been provided to us.
[1:17:07] Since the trial?
[1:17:08] Since the trial.
[1:17:09] Since the trial.
[1:17:09] There are, frankly, a lot of people out there who believe in Alec's innocence.
[1:17:13] Murdoch's lawyers have already asked the court to have unidentified male DNA,
[1:17:18] previously found under Maggie's fingernail, undergo an independent analysis,
[1:17:22] something the judge would have to agree to before trial,
[1:17:26] as the now 58-year-old Murdoch, who is still serving a separate 40 years for his financial crimes,
[1:17:31] looks to clear his name of murder.
[1:17:33] Erin, there are a lot of moving parts here as we look toward that retrial,
[1:17:38] and today will be just the first pretrial hearing.
[1:17:41] So what can we expect out of this one?
[1:17:43] But we don't expect the judge to make any decisions on those motions, for example,
[1:17:49] for a change of venue or for that DNA analysis the defense is asking for.
[1:17:53] You can really think of today as a chance for the prosecutors and the defense team
[1:17:57] to try to nail down a timetable for that new trial to happen.
[1:18:02] We know that the prosecutor has said they would like to see a trial by the end of this year.
[1:18:06] The defense attorneys have said they think it's more likely that a retrial would start
[1:18:10] this time next year.
[1:18:12] Savannah?
[1:18:12] All right, Erin, thank you very much.
[1:18:15] Well, now let's get to some new research about young teens and social media
[1:18:18] and the disturbing content they are exposed to online.
[1:18:22] It comes as social media companies promote safety for kids as one of their core values.
[1:18:26] NBC News Now anchor Kate Snow joins us now with this exclusive research.
[1:18:30] Kate, good morning.
[1:18:31] Good morning, Savannah.
[1:18:32] So right now, at least five states are suing Snapchat,
[1:18:35] claiming it exposes children to inappropriate content.
[1:18:38] The company says it tries to block those kinds of posts for kids.
[1:18:42] But in a new research report obtained exclusively by NBC News, experts found not only does Snapchat
[1:18:47] allow kids to view disturbing content, it actually recommends it to them.
[1:18:52] A warning, some of these posts are graphic.
[1:18:56] Snapchat is central to teen life.
[1:18:59] Roughly half of 13 to 17-year-olds say they use it every day.
[1:19:03] In ads, Snapchat emphasizes how it protects teens.
[1:19:08] For teens aged 13 to 17, we offer additional protections to keep the focus on connecting with people they know in real life.
[1:19:17] How long did it take you to do all this research?
[1:19:20] Sarah Gardner and Amanda Clore are moms and social media watchdogs.
[1:19:24] We really wanted to understand for ourselves what's it like to be a 13-year-old on Snapchat.
[1:19:29] Are you terrified by what you now know?
[1:19:31] Absolutely.
[1:19:33] Their advocacy groups, Heat Initiative and Parents Together Action, set up three accounts on Snapchat for 13-year-olds.
[1:19:39] Not real kids, but avatars named Mateo, Sophie and Kai.
[1:19:44] Researchers then monitored the accounts to see what kinds of content Snapchat fed them.
[1:19:49] How quickly did your 13-year-old profiles start to see unsafe content?
[1:19:53] Within the first minute.
[1:19:54] Within the first minute?
[1:19:55] Within the first minute.
[1:19:56] They say in the first day, Snapchat recommended more than 700 posts to their 13-year-old accounts that the report found to be unsafe.
[1:20:04] Some so graphic we can't show them on TV, including extremely violent and sexualized content.
[1:20:10] This is a video that Snapchat recommended to a 13-year-old of a woman describing a graphic sexual act that she wanted performed on her.
[1:20:21] They say Snapchat also recommended videos showing what appear to be young teens using alcohol and drugs.
[1:20:27] Others glorified eating disorders.
[1:20:29] This was one of many images that was recommended that showed bodies like this as a normal, healthy body.
[1:20:37] Snapchat is trying to make the platform more addictive by showing shocking videos that keep people's attention.
[1:20:44] And that's true for kids, too.
[1:20:45] You think this is intentional?
[1:20:46] Absolutely.
[1:20:48] Jacob, Emma and Kaylee are high school students who all say they joined Snapchat before turning 13.
[1:20:53] It's so normal to see stuff like extremely hypersexual, extremely violent, where you're just, like, shocked.
[1:21:00] There's sometimes a feature where you can mark it, like, I'm not interested, or you can even report it.
[1:21:04] And that sometimes it works, but then a couple scrolls down, you'll see somewhere like it.
[1:21:09] I think it's kind of omnipresent.
[1:21:10] On these apps, that kind of content is everywhere.
[1:21:13] Jacob is a member of a teen tech council and speaks to kids about the dangers of social media.
[1:21:18] The scariest part is it's kind of shaped our culture as young people.
[1:21:22] It's kind of redefined us to be unsurprised by these, like, vile things, these vile acts.
[1:21:30] I wonder if it makes you a little more cynical about the world.
[1:21:33] To protect young teens from predators, Snapchat says it automatically makes their accounts private and undiscoverable by adult strangers.
[1:21:41] They also say they will not connect adults with underage users unless they have three mutual contacts.
[1:21:48] Did you find that to be true?
[1:21:50] No, we found that Snapchat actually recommended hundreds of adult strangers to some of our avatar accounts.
[1:21:57] Emma says she gets friend requests from adult strangers.
[1:22:00] They'll immediately chat me, like, what do you look like?
[1:22:03] And then they'll send a picture of themselves.
[1:22:05] What kind of pictures?
[1:22:07] It could be their anatomy, and most of the time it is.
[1:22:09] And then if you're like, who are you?
[1:22:11] They're like, well, I'm trying to get to know you.
[1:22:14] How many times would you say you've been friended by an adult who you didn't know?
[1:22:18] Like, over 50 times.
[1:22:20] In a statement, Snapchat told us in part, the new report is only based on a handful of researcher-created accounts and does not provide a balanced or representative assessment of teen safety on Snapchat.
[1:22:32] The company says no single safety feature or policy can eliminate every potential risk, and it continues to invest in new protections and work closely with safety experts, law enforcement, parents, and policymakers to keep all Snapchatters safe.
[1:22:47] You all have loving parents.
[1:22:49] Do you think they understand Snapchat?
[1:22:52] I think most parents don't.
[1:22:55] They have no idea that Snapchat is anything more than a messaging app to talk to your friends.
[1:22:59] Right now, the fight is between the parents and the kids.
[1:23:03] Should we give access?
[1:23:04] And so much weight is on the parents to make that decision.
[1:23:07] The fight should actually be between families and Snap.
[1:23:10] They have given us a fully unsafe product.
[1:23:13] Earlier this month, advocates held a social media victims' remembrance day to remember the kids who took their own lives or otherwise died after being cyberbullied or maybe overdosing on buying drugs on social media.
[1:23:27] Their families are pushing for more reforms.
[1:23:30] And, Kate, this is—we've been talking about this, having this conversation for literally years now.
[1:23:35] And you've covered it, too.
[1:23:36] I have, and we have talked about it on the air, off the air, and we are in some ways, right, starting to see some change.
[1:23:44] It's been so difficult to tackle regulating this.
[1:23:48] But we're seeing in other countries, like in the U.K., they just banned social media for kids under 16.
[1:23:52] What is the U.S. government doing to regulate these apps, try to keep them safer?
[1:23:56] As you probably know, there are some pieces of legislation on Capitol Hill right now that have bipartisan support because this really isn't a rare area.
[1:24:05] Right, and they're all parents, right?
[1:24:07] So there are some pieces, some bills.
[1:24:09] Unfortunately, they don't go as far as what the U.K. and Australia have done, and those bills are stuck.
[1:24:15] They're not getting through the system on Capitol Hill because there's other priorities that, you know, the leaders of Congress have decided to prioritize.
[1:24:23] So right now, there's not a whole lot of movement.
[1:24:25] And what the experts said to us, and you've heard this a million times, Savannah, is that every parent out there needs to talk to their kids, especially if they're already on Snapchat.
[1:24:34] Just sit down and have a quick conversation about what they're seeing, what they're doing, and don't, the experts say, don't make it like, if you do this, we take your phone away.
[1:24:43] Because that kind of reactionary approach is going to make the kids clam up and not tell you.
[1:24:48] And hide things, right, absolutely.
[1:24:50] But to your point, we were talking about this while the story was airing, that it's not, like, just for messaging.
[1:24:54] It's not, like, just, like, text.
[1:24:55] Yes.
[1:24:56] It's not even just disappearing text.
[1:24:57] Like, it is content that can be found, and it seems sort of like the Wild West.
[1:25:01] Yeah.
[1:25:01] And as one of our kids said, the parents don't necessarily think that.
[1:25:04] They think it's, like, this cute, funny Snapchat with the little, you know, cartoons and dog faces.
[1:25:09] Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
[1:25:10] Kate, great reporting.
[1:25:11] Thank you so much.
[1:25:11] Good to have you here.
[1:25:12] Coming up, your morning coffee's about to get an upgrade.
[1:25:15] The founder behind the Nitro Bar is here, and she's whipped up some of their most buzzed-about drinks.
[1:25:20] You'll see it's coming up next.
[1:25:21] Back now with our ongoing series, Women Mean Business, and today's guest turned a lifelong love of coffee into a multimillion-dollar brand.
[1:25:35] Audrey Finocchiaro is the founder of the Nitro Bar, which went viral on social media for its fun house-made brews.
[1:25:42] We are going to talk with Audrey, and we are going to try a few of those viral drinks, but first, here's some of her story.
[1:25:47] With its unique flavors, signature whips, and creative ingredients, the Nitro Bar has brewed up more than 73 million likes on TikTok and nearly tripled its revenue.
[1:25:59] The mastermind behind these signature brews is Nitro Bar founder Audrey Finocchiaro.
[1:26:04] Audrey started her first business at just six years old, a lemonade stand.
[1:26:09] Then in 2016, she and her partner Sam tried the grown-up version, maxing out her credit card to set up a coffee cart.
[1:26:16] At first, the cart only brought in $100 a day, but after setting up at Brown University, Audrey started selling out.
[1:26:23] After that, she never looked back.
[1:26:25] Now, the Nitro Bar has three locations across the Northeast and counting, welcoming nearly 2,000 customers every day.
[1:26:32] We are road-tripping them from Greenville, South Carolina, all the way to Providence, Rhode Island, to go to the Nitro Bar.
[1:26:38] And they've gone viral for their creative menu with unique latte flavors like chocolate malt, caramelized banana, and black raspberry chip, making all of their ingredients in-house.
[1:26:49] Welcome to our production space.
[1:26:51] She says passion and community are the foundation of the brand, and of course, the viral videos.
[1:26:57] Audrey Finocchiaro is a woman who means business.
[1:26:59] Okay, perfect.
[1:27:01] And I'm so excited to have the coffee queen herself here in studio with me.
[1:27:05] Audrey, good morning.
[1:27:06] Hi, Savannah.
[1:27:07] Thank you so much for having me.
[1:27:08] I'm so excited.
[1:27:09] I'm so, I mean, this is, do you understand the dream that this is?
[1:27:11] I've been up since the crack of dawn, and you're bringing me all these delicious coffees I can't wait to try.
[1:27:16] Before we try, take us back to the beginning, because as we heard a little bit there, what I just think is so neat is your commitment to the dream to the point of a maxed-out credit card.
[1:27:25] Like, you did what you had to do to try to get this off the ground.
[1:27:28] Take me back to that time.
[1:27:29] Yeah, totally.
[1:27:30] So it was right after graduation, which is, for most people, I feel like a terrible time.
[1:27:34] We were trying to figure all of your things out, and I had just gotten laid off from a job, and my now husband and I were like, why not max out this $1,500 credit card and see if we can build a coffee cart?
[1:27:45] So that's what we did.
[1:27:46] Oh, my gosh.
[1:27:47] And it took 10 years, but here we are today.
[1:27:49] Okay, we're going to talk about the now husband, who's a business partner, in just a second, but I can't wait any longer to try.
[1:27:54] So take us on a guided tour here of what we've got.
[1:27:57] Okay.
[1:27:57] So right over here, we have our whipped raspberry latte, and in the middle, we have our caramelized banana latte, and on the left, we have my favorite, which is our flash brew with whole milk.
[1:28:07] Okay.
[1:28:07] Yes.
[1:28:07] What should I try first?
[1:28:08] I feel like the caramelized banana.
[1:28:09] Okay.
[1:28:10] That one is the proud, yes.
[1:28:10] All right, here, do you want, you can try this one, too.
[1:28:13] All right, so caramelized banana latte.
[1:28:15] It's going to be, what's going to be a mess.
[1:28:16] Explain that, like, what does that mean is in here?
[1:28:18] So we actually macerate banana peels overnight in sugar.
[1:28:21] That's what gives it that really, like, authentic banana taste.
[1:28:25] That is delicious.
[1:28:26] It's going to be a mess, just like the videos.
[1:28:28] Mmm.
[1:28:30] Oh, my God.
[1:28:31] No, it's a full, it tastes like a banana.
[1:28:33] Banana, right?
[1:28:34] A full banana.
[1:28:35] That is absolutely delicious.
[1:28:37] Okay.
[1:28:37] Ooh, wow, I feel like this is going to be tough to beat.
[1:28:40] I know, right?
[1:28:40] It's a, okay, and then this is our whipped raspberry, which is our most popular of our summer menu.
[1:28:45] Okay.
[1:28:46] And what's in this one?
[1:28:47] This has our black raspberry syrup that we make in-house, and then rice, full milk, which is a local dairy farm from Rhode Island, and then we make this whipped topping.
[1:28:57] Wow.
[1:28:58] Which we will be releasing in our cookbook, which I'm so excited about.
[1:29:01] Oh, my gosh.
[1:29:01] Oh, that is so good.
[1:29:02] What is that?
[1:29:03] So, this is our whip, which is, like, a mascarpone and cream cheese mixture with black raspberry and then chocolate chips.
[1:29:11] Oh, my goodness.
[1:29:13] Our girls in our pastry department actually, like, whip this by hand in huge mixers, so it's a whole, it's a whole process.
[1:29:19] Okay, I'm going to finish both of those, and then I'm going to be shaking for the rest of the day.
[1:29:22] Okay, and then I quickly got to try this.
[1:29:24] So, last but not least, this is your fave.
[1:29:26] Yes, this is our flash brew with just local whole milk.
[1:29:28] Oh, great.
[1:29:29] Oh, baby.
[1:29:30] That is, like, that is some fuel for your day.
[1:29:32] Mm-hmm.
[1:29:32] Oh, my goodness.
[1:29:34] I love it.
[1:29:34] Wow, these are fantastic.
[1:29:36] So, what's been so cool, and it's easy to see, like, especially if you take this one, for example, this pink, I mean, it's, you've gone totally viral.
[1:29:43] Like, this, your social media presence took your in-real-life business just to another level, would you say?
[1:29:49] Yeah, absolutely.
[1:29:50] Social media has done so much for our business.
[1:29:53] I think, first and foremost, it's allowed us to have accessibility that typically small businesses would need a big budget behind marketing and advertising, but now anyone with a phone and determination can really make it work.
[1:30:05] So, that's what we managed to do.
[1:30:07] Okay, you mentioned a cookbook.
[1:30:08] Yes.
[1:30:09] You also have something else that you're about to launch that you're announcing today.
[1:30:12] Yes.
[1:30:13] You've got a lot on the horizon.
[1:30:14] Tell us.
[1:30:15] Yes.
[1:30:15] So, we're launching a cookbook, which will come out next spring.
[1:30:18] We're opening a store in New York City, another one in Providence.
[1:30:21] And today, we are actually launching our coffee club, which should be live right now.
[1:30:27] So, basically, you can subscribe and get all of our coffee beans shipped to your door.
[1:30:31] And for the first 24 hours, everyone that subscribes is going to get one of our mugs.
[1:30:36] We're so excited to finally launch this.
[1:30:38] Oh, my gosh.
[1:30:38] We're so lucky to have you today as you launch it.
[1:30:41] I can't overstate how delicious this is.
[1:30:43] Okay, good.
[1:30:43] I'm normally just, like, a plain latte person.
[1:30:45] Okay, good.
[1:30:45] And don't usually do, like, a sweet or a sugar or anything, but this is just, because it tastes, you can tell it's real fruit.
[1:30:50] Yeah, it's not too sweet.
[1:30:52] It's not at all.
[1:30:53] Okay, so you mentioned now husband, business partner.
[1:30:56] How do you make that work?
[1:30:57] Yeah, number one, a great couples therapist.
[1:31:00] That is what truly helps us so much.
[1:31:02] But learning what we're good at and really working separately, honestly.
[1:31:07] A lot of the time, Sam and I don't work together because we have different strengths and weaknesses.
[1:31:12] But I think finding boundaries and times to log off has been super helpful.
[1:31:17] And, yeah, just finding balance the best that we can.
[1:31:20] Hmm, that's a good answer.
[1:31:21] And the best you can.
[1:31:22] I like to caveat it with that because it's not always possible.
[1:31:24] It's never perfect.
[1:31:25] Yeah, exactly.
[1:31:26] We love on this segment to ask your advice for someone.
[1:31:30] I think in your particular shoes, there's so much to look at what you did and admire.
[1:31:35] And I think people might be scared to take the leap on, like to max out a credit card,
[1:31:40] to follow a dream of starting a business rather than just going and getting the job in an office out of school.
[1:31:45] What's your advice to a young woman watching?
[1:31:47] I would say that I think a lot of the time women particularly are told that we need the latest makeup or we need the latest shoes or, like, recording equipment, all these things.
[1:31:57] I don't think you need any of it.
[1:31:59] I think you really just need determination and hustle.
[1:32:02] And you can make anything work.
[1:32:05] Just really believing in yourself, too.
[1:32:07] And fake it till you make it, baby.
[1:32:09] Oh, my gosh.
[1:32:10] Cheers to that.
[1:32:11] Cheers.
[1:32:11] Thank you so much for coming.
[1:32:13] It was so lovely to have you live.
[1:32:15] This is delicious.
[1:32:16] If you're in Rhode Island, she's got multiple locations there.
[1:32:19] And one coming soon in New York.
[1:32:20] Check it out.
[1:32:20] Thank you.
[1:32:21] Great to have you.
[1:32:21] Thank you so much.
[1:32:23] We thank you for watching.
[1:32:24] And remember, stay updated on breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app or watch live on our YouTube channel.