NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Nightly News Full Broadcast (May 25th)

Episode Date: May 26, 2024

Severe weather risks for millions of holiday travelers as TSA screens record number of passengers; Pennsylvania father detained in Turks and Caicos reunited with family after more than 100 days; ‘Faith in humanity is through the roof’ for kidney recipient whose donor is a fellow soccer team fan; and more on tonight’s broadcast. 

This is NBC Nightly News with Jose Diaz-Balart. Good evening. Memorial Day weekend is getting off to an historic start. The TSA says it screened nearly 3 million people yesterday. That's a record. And on the roads, AAA says 38 million people are set to drive during this three-day weekend. But the real curveball? For half the country, it's the weather. 22 million people are under threat of strong tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail across the heart of the country. But that number will double tomorrow. And as we come on the air, more than four million people are under tornado alerts from Texas to Kansas that could bring 80 mile per hour winds, even DVD sized hail.

Our Priscilla Thompson starts us off in Oklahoma City, which could be in for a rough night. The Great American Getaway is in full swing tonight and shattering records. I think it's pretty packed for 5 a.m. TSA reporting its highest number of passengers ever screened in a single day Friday, almost 3 million across the U.S. And it's not just the skies that are jam-packed. Traffic has been really bad. It's backed up and it's taking us a long time to get there. According to AAA, more than 38 million are expected behind the wheel this holiday weekend. It's been really bad, honestly. Three cars on fire in here.

This fiery crash inside a Boston tunnel sent drivers running out on foot, backing up traffic Friday just as some vacationers were leaving town. And the hottest destination for the 44 million traveling? Beaches. It's so nice to feel the sun on your skin. But it could be dangerously hot in places like Texas, where 7 million are under heat alerts, with temps expected to soar into the triple digits. And the outlook is not sunny everywhere. It's not a question of if we're going to see tornadoes, it's a question of when we're going to see tornadoes.

22 million from Texas to Illinois are in the bullseye for giant hail, high winds and potentially deadly tornadoes. Whoa, man. Residents in Oklahoma still recovering from 26 reported tornadoes this month, including nine in the last week alone. Now bracing for more. It seems like we've had definitely some late nights staying up watching the radar for hours at a time. But yeah, we're ready for it. Do you feel like tonight will be another one of those nights? I think so.

A nationwide pattern of unrelenting spring storms, now proving to be a dark cloud as millions take to the roads and skies to kick off the unofficial start of summer. Priscilla joins me now from Oklahoma City. Priscilla, that region bracing for what could be a tough night. Yeah, Jose, we're already seeing significant storms in northwest Oklahoma with that system headed right this way. Already, a tornado watch has been issued for this area, including Oklahoma City, as tonight residents remain on high alert. Jose? Priscilla Thompson in Oklahoma City, thank you. Let's get the latest forecast from NBC News meteorologist Angie Lastman. Angie, what's the rest of the

weekend looking like? Jose, unfortunately, the severe weather threat doesn't let up through Monday. We've already got some of these thunderstorms firing up and leaving us with more intense storms targeting the central plains through the rest of the evening hours. Tonight, Let's go. over 80 miles per hour. By tomorrow, it's the Ohio Valley and the Midwest that will watch for all of those same threats, specifically Nashville to Cincinnati and including St. Louis, with once again those really strong winds over 75 miles per hour. By Monday, Memorial Day, it's the East Coast that the risk arrives for. We'll see all of those strongest storms targeting the mid-Atlantic as we get through the rest of the holiday weekend, Jose. Angie Lastman, thank you so much. And now to Pittsburgh and an emotional homecoming for an American tourist who was jailed in Turks and Caicos. Tonight, that release is raising hopes

for other Americans who are still detained there. Marisa Parra has details. Ryan Hagerich is finally free to claim the hugs he's been waiting for. I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders. The Pennsylvania father of two, reuniting this family overnight after facing but avoiding 12 years in a Turks and Caicos jail. You think you're on this beautiful island, but there's nothing beautiful about it when you don't have your family. Hagrich spent three months unable to leave Turks and Caicos, which has a strict law surrounding firearms and ammunition,

where getting caught with unauthorized possession carries a minimum 12-year sentence. Hagerich, on vacation in February with his family, said he accidentally left bullets in his luggage from a hunting trip. After Hagerich pleaded guilty, a local judge sentenced him to 52 weeks, 12 months suspended because of what she called exceptional circumstances, including the accidental nature and his lack of criminal background. It's the best day.

U.S. lawmakers had flown down to Turks and Caicos earlier this week in support. And they played such a huge part in bringing me home, and hopefully the others are soon to follow. Three other Americans on the island awaiting their own fate on similar charges, including Sherita Greer and Ryan Watson, who say nothing was intentional. I was just so scared. Like, I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. You see beaches and sand and palm trees, and it's now become my prison. Hagerich, all too familiar, ordered to pay $6,700 for his own release amid what a family spokesperson says was a $100,000 financial toll. My biggest concern is coaching my kids' baseball games tomorrow, and that is such a relief.

His return home, priceless. Marissa Parra, NBC News. In the Middle East, there has been a major setback on U.S. efforts to get aid into Gaza. Severe weather and choppy seas forcing four U.S. Army vessels to run ashore, with two anchored on a Gaza beach and the other two on Israel's coast. These vessels were supporting the mission to transport aid through a pier built by the U.S. military. We are back with President Biden's message to grads at the West Point Military Academy. The president highlighting his commitment to Israel, Ukraine and allies in

the Indo-Pacific region, telling more than a thousand graduating Army cadets that the military has never had to address so many global challenges at once. In the business world, Burger King is just the latest fast food chain to slash prices, fighting to win back customers struggling with the cost of living. Erin McLaughlin has more. This summer, Burger King will let you have it for less, announcing its new $5 value meal. So what's on the menu? It'll include one of three sandwiches, nuggets, fries and a drink. The offer rolling out after news McDonald's has plans for its own $5 limited time deal. I mean, this is absolutely expected from Burger King. It's kind of aggressive because they're going to start it earlier and they're going to keep it longer.

It's all part of the ongoing fast food fight for your dollars. Why is it so expensive? After industry wine prices jumped nearly 28 percent from 2019 to 2023, outpacing overall inflation. It's getting out of hand. The promotional deal is a drastic effort to get diners through the door. So how low will the burger wars go? Well, at Participating Wendy's, starting on Tuesday and lasting for six days, you'll be able to buy a burger for just a penny with any purchase. All you have to do is register on the app or website. Analysts are pointing to

increased packaging and labor costs for the price hikes, but the sticker shock is now causing many customers to pull back. We've seen traffic pretty broadly at fast food restaurants in particular really coming down this year. They need to devote some of their marketing attention to value to tell the customer, we hear you, we are doing something about it. Here's a $5 meal deal. And it's not just fast food franchises scrambling to address the pain that years of inflation have inflicted on customers' pocketbooks. Earlier this week, Target announced its slashing prices on about 5,000 food, beverage and other essential items, while Walmart introduced a new premium grocery brand with most items under, you guessed it, five dollars. A price point

penny pinchers hope will lead to a long-awaited summer of savings. Erin McLaughlin, NBC News, New York. We are back with sad news for Disney fans after one of its main songwriters died today. Richard Sherman was 95 years old. He was half of the Sherman brothers' songwriting duo, best known for composing songs for movies like Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book. He won two Oscars, three Grammys, and had 24 gold and platinum albums. There's good news tonight. You know, so often the good news just doesn't get as much attention as

the bad. So every Saturday, we highlight the many people who spread joy and love. These are just some of those stories this week. We would like your help in helping Xavier Joel. Something special happened aboard a Frontier Airlines flight this week. Take a look. It's a graduation celebration for little Xavier Joel from Orlando, Florida. He had to miss his kindergarten commencement, so the crew marked the moment with photos and a walk down the aisle in his cap and gown.

For his mom, Jay, well, that kindness had her heart sore. It was very emotional. I felt so happy for him. That amount of kindness that was shown to him, you know, it gave me a boost toward my faith in humanity. Malik Octavius Hurd. There was a surprise, too, for graduate Malik Hurd at the University of West Georgia.

Malik, there's a lot of people here this arena, but one special guest has shown up all the way from Kosovo. He gets his diploma, then stops in shock when he sees his military model traveled more than 5,000 miles from her deployment in Kosovo just to make his day. And here's another military reunion that brought us to tears. That's 19-year-old Janio Chaka falling into the arms of his mom, Jacqueline. Janio just finished his grueling Army basic combat training, the first in his family to enlist.

Mom and Dad absolutely overwhelmed with joy and pride. And talk about teamwork. Ohio soccer super fans Hitham El-Habiri and Heidi Baxter were VIP guests at a recent Columbus crew game. Heidi, honored for donating her kidney to High Thumb last year after he got sick and needed a transplant, they were total strangers until she heard about him from other Columbus crew fans. The two even watched the game together in the hospital, sparking a friendship they say will last a lifetime.

How do you thank someone like her? It's impossible to put into words. We hug a lot. We cry a little. But we're mostly really happy to see each other, and I'm so grateful. The Columbus crew family throwing them this party they will never forget. Does that change you in any way? It brings our community closer together.

It's just that, I mean, again, it's hard to put in words, but that faith in humanity is through the roof. I've really come to consider that helping others with what we can is so important. There's no other word than overwhelming. Our community has really come to hold us, to embrace us through this journey. Heidi and Haitham say they're going to keep cheering on their Columbus crew team and hope to attend more games together in the future. That's NBC Nightly News for this Saturday. Holly Jackson will be here tomorrow night. I'm Jose Diaz-Balart. Thank you for the privilege

of your time here tomorrow night. I'm Jose Diaz-Balart. Thank you for the privilege of your time, and good night.