NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Friday, June 7, 2024

Episode Date: June 8, 2024

President Biden joins world leaders saluting D-Day heroes on 80th anniversary; Lester Holt interviews Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on D-Day anniversary; Rare tornadoes rip through Maryland as dangerous heat hits the west; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the record-breaking heat wave threatening millions of Americans. The heat dome in the West driving temperatures to new highs. 111 degrees in Las Vegas, 113 in Phoenix. The new ice immersion bags first responders are using to save lives. We're tracking the danger. Also tonight, President Biden's speech on the cliffs of Normandy, urging Americans to protect democracy. Plus, his meeting with Ukraine's President Zelensky and what he apologized for.

Just in, after his New York rape conviction was overturned, the new twist in Harvey Weinstein's Los Angeles case. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for the first time disclosing two luxury vacations paid for by a GOP megadonor and what the other justices disclosed, including book deals and Beyonce tickets. Hunter Biden tearing up as his daughter takes the stand. What she told the jury about his efforts to get sober before buying the gun at the center of the case. The outrage in Israel, the U.N. adding it and Hamas to a blacklist of those who harm children in war zones. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.

Good evening and welcome. In this season of extremes and heightened weather danger we've witnessed these last several weeks, it's now the crippling heat we're watching tonight taking hold across a wide stretch of the southern tier, putting 21 million people under heat alerts today. In the past 24 hours, triple-digit temperatures being recorded in places that include Phoenix and Las Vegas. Near-record high temperatures could occur as far east as Miami. Tonight, first responders are adopting some of the lessons from last year's deadly summer, deploying new tools to buy time and save lives amid the heat. All as scientists offer a sobering new assessment of the rate at which the Earth is warming.

Liz Kreutz joins us from Phoenix tonight. Liz, what's it like? Well, Lester, it's certainly hot here, and excessive heat warning is in effect right now through tonight. And because of that, trails like this one here in Phoenix remain closed. It is expected to gradually cool off here through the weekend, though, but still remain hot in the triple digits. Coast to coast tonight, scorching triple digit temperatures from California to Florida. East of Tampa, the city of Winter Haven reaching a rare 102 degrees Thursday. Across the West, 15 million people under a heat dome, bringing blistering conditions to places

like Las Vegas, which hit 111, and Phoenix, which reached 113, a daily record in both cities. After Maricopa County saw more than 600 heat-related deaths last year, Phoenix firefighters are now using ice immersion to treat heat stroke patients. Every fire truck is now equipped with one of these bags, and firefighters say by immediately immersing a patient in ice, it can lower their body temperature by several degrees. Is this a matter of life and death? Absolutely. The survivability that we're seeing is going through the roof when we can get these patients cooled down before we arrive to the hospital. Extreme heat expert and Arizona State University professor Melissa Guardaro says the low temps are also concerning. Overnight, Phoenix not dropping below 87 degrees.

It's really a threat to public health at that point because you just don't have an opportunity to cool off. And it takes a financial toll. Camille Rabbani's electricity bill got so high last summer she would keep her thermostat at a stifling 83 degrees to cut down on costs. We just kind of got to like 83 was manageable but it's just at that point, like tight budget. All this as NOAA says carbon dioxide is accumulating faster than ever in the atmosphere, acting like a blanket over the earth and warming the planet. New data released by the EU finds globally the last 12 months have each been the hottest ever on record. We need to take extreme heat very seriously. People are dying. Liz Kreutz, NBC News, Phoenix. We turn overseas now. President Biden giving a major speech on the cliffs

overlooking Normandy, France, evoking D-Day's heroes to urge Americans to defend democracy as he seeks to draw a sharp contrast with former President Trump. Peter Alexander is there. Today, it's the beauty that overwhelms you. But 80 years ago, it was the bravery. Army Rangers defied danger, scaling these towering cliffs, knowing the Nazis were waiting. One thought comes to mind. My God, my God, how did they do it? Atop one of the enemy bunkers, those brave warriors captured, President Biden today invoked their memory, declaring a renewed mission for Americans. They're not asking us to do their job. They're asking us to do our job, to protect freedom in our time, to defend democracy.

At the very spot where President Reagan immortalized the boys at Pointe du Hoc, President Biden today highlighted their service and the fight for freedom. Does anyone doubt that they would want America to stand up against Putin's aggression here in Europe today? Does anyone believe these Rangers would want America to go it alone today? Earlier, the president meeting Ukraine's President Volodymyrelensky announcing a new military aid package and apologizing for congress's delay in approving more american support i apologize for the uh those weeks of not knowing what's going to happen in terms of funding the president drawing an election year contrast with former president trump who's argued europe not the u.., should be spending more to help Ukraine.

We're probably in for $250 billion. They just got $62 billion, and now I heard today that they need more money. It's going to never end. But today, the commander-in-chief warned against isolationism and saluted 98-year-old John Wardell, then an 18-year-old Army Ranger from New Jersey, who battled Hitler's forces here. Today, alongside the dignitaries in the front row. John, we love you, man. Thank you for all you've done.

What does this place represent? Well, it's a place in history, part of history here. You were part of that history. Well, I like the place. I think I am a little part of it. A part of one of history's most pivotal moments where America's sons helped reclaim the continent and save the world. And Peter, will the president remain in France through the weekend? Yeah, Lester, the president's D-Day commemorations are now complete, but tomorrow, President Biden will be welcomed here in Paris for an official state visit, including a parade down the famed Champs-Élysées. And the major focus of his talks with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Lester. All right, Peter Alexander, thank you. Breaking tonight, disgrace movie mogul Harvey Weinstein fights his convictions for rape and sexual assault. Chloe Malas joins us now with her exclusive reporting. What have you learned? Good evening, Lester. We've learned that Harvey Weinstein's legal team has filed an appeal for his 2022 Los Angeles rape and sexual assault convictions. In the filing obtained by NBC News, Weinstein's attorneys are seeking a new trial, citing critical evidence that they say was denied and an inability to guarantee a fair and impartial trial. An L.A. judge had previously sentenced Weinstein to 16 years behind bars, which was supposed to run concurrently with his New York

conviction that was overturned just over a month ago. New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg says they intend to retry Weinstein, but that date has not yet been set. In the meantime, Weinstein remains in jail at Rikers Island. Lester. All right, Chloe, thanks very much. Also tonight, after facing backlash for lavish vacations paid for by a Republican mega donor, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is disclosing them for the first time. Gabe Gutierrez with more on that and what the other justices revealed.

Tonight, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, for the first time, is officially disclosing a controversial 2019 trip to Bali with billionaire Harlan Crowe. The acknowledgement out today in Thomas' annual financial disclosure report. It comes after a report last year from ProPublica that detailed his secret lavish vacations paid for by the top Republican donor, who's a longtime friend of the justice. Thomas is also disclosing another trip that same year to California with Crowe, though the report only includes lodging expenses, not travel costs. ProPublica reported Thomas had flown on Crowe's private jet, a stark contrast to the more modest image

the conservative justice has projected. I prefer the Walmart parking lots to the beaches and things like that. There's something normal to me about it. At the time, Thomas said the trips were a form of personal hospitality that justices did not have to report. Now, his disclosure report said the two trips had been inadvertently omitted from his 2019 report. As for his colleagues, Justice Katonji Brown-Jackson reported receiving a $900,000 book advance, plus four concert tickets worth $3,700 from pop superstar Beyonce. And Justice Sonia Sotomayor disclosed $86,000 in book royalties. The Supreme Court adopted a new code of conduct last year,

although critics say there's no way to enforce it. Lester? Gabe Gutierrez, thank you. An emotional day in a federal courtroom in Delaware as Hunter Biden's eldest daughter took the stand for the defense at his gun trial after prosecutors rested their case. Ryan Nobles is there for us tonight. Tonight, Hunter Biden fighting back tears as his eldest daughter Naomi testified in his defense, saying in August 2018 she considered her father to be on the road to recovery from his drug addiction. It was the clearest I'd seen him since my uncle died. He seemed really great, she said. It was two months before Hunter filled out that government

background check to purchase a gun, checking no on the form that asked if he was an active drug user. Naomi testifying, she introduced her dad to her future husband. I told him I was so proud of him, she said. But on cross-examination, prosecutor Leo Wise pressed Naomi about meeting her father a few days after he bought the gun, pointing to their text messages showing the two were having a difficult time meeting up after she borrowed his truck. Highlighting a text where Hunter asked her to meet him with the truck at 2 a.m. Naomi texting the following day, I'm really sorry, Dad. I can't take this. I don't know what to say. I just miss you and want to hang out with you. Following her testimony, Naomi Biden gave her father a hug and kiss and quickly exited the courtroom. Earlier, the prosecution rested their

case after calling 10 witnesses, many describing Hunter Biden's frequent drug use around the time he filled out that background check in October of 2018. Prosecutors say he lied about his drug use on the form, which is a federal crime. Hunter Biden's ex-wife testified she found drug paraphernalia inside their car in October of 2018. And his ex-girlfriend, who was dating him at the time, saying Hunter was smoking crack every 20 minutes or so. The defense says that Hunter did not knowingly lie on that background check and that they have not ruled out calling him to the stand to testify in his own defense. Lester. All right, Ryan, thank you. In the Middle East, there is outrage in Israel as we learn the U.N.

plans to add it to a blacklist alongside Hamas over actions during the war. Raf Sanchez is in Tel Aviv. Raf, what more can you tell us? Lester, a U.N. diplomat tells NBC News that both Israel and Hamas are due to be added to a global blacklist of those that harmed children during wartime. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu slamming the decision, saying the UN put itself today on history's blacklist when it adopted the absurd claims of Hamas. It comes a day after an Israeli strike on Hamas operatives at a UN school killed at least 14 children, according to hospital officials.

And eight months after October 7th, the IDF says Hamas gunmen tried to breach the border once again, but were killed before they could cross into Israel. An Israeli soldier also died. Lester. Rav Sanchez in Tel Aviv, thank you. A strong new jobs report is out. The U.S. economy adding 272,000 jobs last month, blowing past expectations. The unemployment rate did tick up to 4 percent, but after 30 months at or below that level, it is the longest streak of unemployment this low since the late 60s. In just 60 seconds, the slew of shark attacks on a popular Florida beach. We are back with two new shark incidents reported today in Florida. The Walton County Sheriff says they happened off the Gulf Coast, less than five miles apart. Both victims were

taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition. Authorities closed the water access to the public. We're back in a moment with our investigation into driverless cars and crosswalks that now has some lawmakers demanding action. Autonomous vehicles have driven nearly 70 million miles on U.S. public roads, but our report from NBC Bay Area's Bigad Shaban raises new questions about how driverless cars navigate crosswalks near schools. Have a good evening. School crossing guard Teresa Dorn has spent 11 years keeping kids and their families out of harm's way.

Hi, how are you? But nowadays, distracted drivers aren't her main concern. It's cars with no driver at all. I just don't think it's very safe. California remains one of the country's largest testing grounds for self-driving vehicles. But Dorn says driverless cars, operated by Google's sister company Waymo, nearly ran into her and others three separate times. The parent grabbed the child, looked at the car, and there was nobody driving it.

It almost hit you? Yes. It did not recognize me in the intersection. Even though you were standing in it with your stop sign? Yes. We spoke to 30 crossing guards stationed in more than 20 schools across San Francisco. Nearly one out of every four told us they experienced some type of close call in the crosswalk with a Waymo driverless car within the past year, though they couldn't remember exact dates, nor did they file police reports. Waymo said without specific details, it can't tell us

what its vehicles did or why, and declined our interview request. But in a statement, Waymo told us while we're proud of our safety record, we also recognize the importance of ensuring that other road users feel confident and comfortable around our technology. Is there a lack of oversight here? I think what you have is well-intentioned action, but it's just not comprehensive enough. California Congressman Kevin Mullen wants the Department of Transportation to force driverless car companies to reveal how often their vehicles are involved in a near miss. Currently, they only have to disclose details on actual collisions. What's available now isn't really telling the whole story. That's right.

So we obtained all driverless car complaints submitted to the California DMV last year. Of the more than 200, roughly 30% detailed safety concerns in crosswalks. Of those, about one in five complaints involved Waymo. The bulk of the rest, GM's Cruise, which is still working to get back on the road. After safety issues pushed the company to pause its entire fleet of driverless cars last October, Cruise declined our interview request, but said safety is a critical priority and added it investigates concerns. These are complaints coming from different people sharing some pretty

eerily similar safety concerns. Does that worry you? It absolutely worries me. Those kinds of incidents where people's lives are put at risk, but it's not reportable now. We need to be looking at those. Teresa Dorn says she's already seen the hazards, headed straight towards the kids she's protecting. Do you worry one of the children that you see could get hurt? Yes. My main concern is that they get to school safely and that they go back home safely. Have a good afternoon. Bigat Shaban, NBC News, San Francisco.

And that's nightly news for this Friday. Thank you for watching. I'm Lester Holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.