NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Sunday, August 11, 2024

Episode Date: August 11, 2024

Blockbuster finish to the 2024 Paris Olympics; IOC: Jordan Chiles will have to give up bronze medal; Harris touts new proposed policy to eliminate taxes on tips; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the final night of the Olympics, the closing ceremony that wowed the world, and a thrilling win for Team USA in the final seconds of play. The stadium's spectacle filled with light and music. America's athletes celebrating their triumphs, and the handoff to the U.S. hosting the games next. Plus the moment Tom Cruise, look at that, leapt into the stadium. Team USA women's basketball taking the gold. The nail-biter against France just inches away from tying the game. And the United States is going to claim gold.

The Eiffel Tower evacuated after this man scaled it. More on the security threat. An Olympic shocker, outrage after American gymnast Jordan Childs is ordered to give back her bronze medal, all because of a technicality. Now a new twist, how the U.S. is appealing. Back here at home, the terrifying house explosion in Maryland, at least two people killed. I thought it was a bomb. So what caused it?

On offense, the Ukrainian president announcing his troops have moved into Russia. And an NBC News exclusive, the French president on how they pulled off the games. This is NBC Nightly News with Hallie Jackson. Good evening. And we start tonight with a celebration. The raucous cheers, the happy tears, and the memories of an Olympics over in a flash, it feels like. But this may be the moment everyone will be talking about tomorrow.

Tom Cruise jumping into the stadium to take the Olympic flag to Hollywood. Another stunner, Team USA, with an instant classic for the women's basketball team, eking out a win and a gold in the dramatic final seconds, helping to cement a victory for Team USA overall in the medal count. Take a look at this. 126 medals, the U.S. tying with China for the most first place finishes. But it's a dispute over a bronze medal that may go on for weeks. We're learning tonight the U.S. will appeal to try to let Jordan Childs keep her gymnastics bronze after she was ordered to give it back today.

We've got it all covered tonight, starting with Stephanie Gosk in Paris. It's incredible. In France's national stadium tonight, the curtain went down on the Olympics, and Paris reveled in its success. After more than 300 events and over 1,000 medals won, this was the athletes' moment to celebrate. Carrying the flag for Team USA, swimmer Katie Ledecky and rower Nick Mead. Both helped the U.S. tie China for the most gold medals. But on the basketball court today, there were moments when one of those medals looked like it might slip away. France's team, energized by a raucous home crowd, was relentless as the U.S. women struggled.

In the final seconds, the U.S. was up by three. France hit a last-second shot, but it was just a two-pointer. That was a two, banked it in, a two-ball, and the game was over. The U.S. securing a record eighth consecutive gold medal. Aja Wilson leading the team with 21 points was named the tournament MVP. The team sailed to the finals and then this game. Were you surprised by how tough it was? Not at all. This is a great gold medal game. It was great. I love the adversity that we got hit, but we showed resilience and we came out on top. As the final events wrapped up today, there were some tense moments at the Eiffel Tower. A man was arrested after he tried to scale

the famous landmark. Tourists were briefly evacuated, according to police, who provided few details about the arrest. But the disruption was short-lived, the final day of the Olympics ending with the ceremonial passing of the torch, the Olympic flag given to LA Mayor Karen Bass. Then a surprise drop-in by Tom Cruise, who escorted the flag in Mission Impossible style to L.A. The Olympics are coming back to the U.S. Stephanie is joining us now from Paris.

And, Steph, we've seen some incredible athletes at these games. So what are the chances that we'll see the fan favorites back in L.A. in four years. Well, you know, a lot of American athletes say they would love the opportunity to compete on home soil. But few have committed, with the exception of Katie Ledecky, who says she intends on swimming in L.A. in 2028. Hallie. Stephanie Goss, thank you very much. You can catch the full closing ceremony and the rest of the day's Olympic action right here on NBC and Peacock starting at 7 o'clock Eastern. Still, while the Olympics may be over, one medal controversy is not. With a stunning twist tonight after American gymnast Jordan Childs was stripped of her third place win today.

Now, USA Gymnastics is fighting back, saying they can prove Childs deserves it. Here's Marissa Parra. Tonight, U.S. gymnast Jordan Childs is facing orders to return her bronze medal. But USA Gymnastics not going down without a fight. Backing Childs, they reveal they've submitted video evidence in their appeal. It comes after this morning's controversial decision by the International Olympic Committee to reallocate the bronze win to Romania's Ana Barbosu. Since posting her heartbreak yesterday, Childs has gone quiet. But Romanian Barbosu speaking out, posting after today's stunning reversal, Jordan, my thoughts are with you. The emotional whiplash began Monday

with the individual women's floor exercise. Childs initially placing fifth, but her team at the last minute challenging her score. Thought, why not put the inquiry in? After a review, the judges boosted her score. She was bumped into bronze medal third, edging out Barbosu. Both athletes swapping tears of heartbreak and joy. There were so many emotions going through my body in that moment. But now, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling four days later that the bronze-making inquiry came four seconds too late,

saying Childs' coaches didn't meet the one-minute deadline they had to contest her score, missing it by seconds. And though the IOC did not dispute the final score Childs was given after the review, they still say Childs must now return her bronze medal. But USA Gymnastics now saying they have time-stamped video evidence the inquiry was submitted 47 seconds after meeting the deadline, demanding she keep both the score and the medal. A decorated moment now left in dizzying doubt. Risa Parra, NBC News. Our other big headline tonight, the battle for the White House with a war of words over campaign crowd sizes and new polling showing Vice President Kamala Harris inching ahead of

former President Trump in key swing states. Vaughn Hilliard reports. Vice President Kamala Harris holding a sold-out fundraiser in San Francisco today after she and her running mate Tim Walz gathered massive crowds this week in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, and this weekend in Nevada. So good to be back in Las Vegas. The crowds rivaling the rallies of Republican nominee Donald Trump, including at his event in Montana. They said, oh, she had a big crowd. Oh, the crowd.

Trump accusing the vice president of faking her crowd size at this Michigan rally. Posting on his social media platform, we caught her with a fake crowd. There was nobody there. That assertion, definitively false. Thousands appearing at each of her events. The Harris campaign responding, Trump has still not campaigned in a swing state over a week. Low energy? A new poll shows Harris leading Trump among likely voters in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin within the margin of error. On the trail last night, Harris touting a policy proposal. We will continue our fight for working families of America,

including to raise the minimum wage and eliminate taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers. The taxes on tips first brought to the presidential campaign trail earlier this summer. We are going to not charge taxes on tips, people making tips. Trump also posting online that Harris just copied my no taxes on tips policy. We must defeat Trump. Meanwhile, President Biden giving his first interview since stepping aside. My Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate

thought that I was going to hurt them in the races. Vaughn is joining us now. And Vaughn, with the Democratic National Convention just about a week away, we're learning more tonight about some of the headliners set to appear in Chicago, right? Right, Hallie. We're now told that President Biden will, in fact, deliver a speech in Chicago, as well as former Presidents Obama and Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who, of course, just narrowly lost to Donald Trump eight years ago. Hallie. Vaughn Hilliard, thank you. New details tonight on a deadly house explosion that rocked an upscale Maryland neighborhood today, a blast that could be felt up to three miles away.

George Solis is there. Terrifying moments near Baltimore, Maryland. A house explosion with fire. After a house explosion rattled this neighborhood. Doorbell camera video appearing to record the sound of the blast. Authorities say early this morning, contractors arrived on scene responding to reports of a possible gas leak. I legitimately thought it was an earthquake, a major earthquake. Officials say they received some 60 calls about the explosion, some from as far as about three miles away from where I'm standing. I've been on the job for nearly 18 years.

This is one of the largest explosions I've seen. The blast killed two people, according to a Maryland state fire marshal, a 35-year-old man who was a Baltimore gas and electric contractor, and the 73-year-old homeowner. Officials say a woman at a nearby home was also injured. I can confirm there was a gas leak. However, we're supposed to remain under investigation if it was on the interior of the house or on the exterior. Megan Weeks' daughter was at home with a babysitter when the blast occurred.

I imagine getting that phone call must have been one of the worst feelings in the world. It was. It was pretty scary. I could feel my heart drop. daughter uninjured by her bedroom damaged week says the explosion left this crack in the ceiling. It's very scary like I'm actually nervous about. I mean that could very well happen to one of our homes

as well today. Emergency services going door to door to check for additional leaks. Investigators combing the debris searching for answers about what caused this fatal explosion. George joins us now from Maryland. And George, there may have been warning signs about a gas leak even days before this explosion. Right, Hallie. Investigators say neighbors reported smelling gas in recent days, but never officially reported. Now they're working to determine what caused all this, and that could take days, if not weeks.

Ali. George Solis, live for us there in Bel Air, Maryland. Overseas tonight, Israel is ordering new evacuations from southern Gaza ahead of new military action. The orders come a day after Israeli airstrikes on a school sheltering refugees there killed more than 100 people, according to Palestinian officials. Israel is accusing Hamas militants of launching attacks from the area and hiding among civilians there. Also tonight, for the first time, Ukraine is saying its forces are fighting inside Russia. Local Russian officials are calling for evacuations from the areas under assault. According to Russian media, up to 1,000 Ukrainian troops are inside Russia. Moscow is now bombing its own land to try to stop the offensive. Up next, more from Paris, our exclusive with the French president on how Paris pulled off the games

and his advice for L.A. Plus, that city's big announcement on 2028. They're going to ban cars for it. Paris has a lot to be proud of, pulling off a stunning Olympics, taking some chances that paid off in dramatic fashion. Our Keri Simmons tonight goes one-on-one with French President Emmanuel Macron exclusively about the challenges they faced and his advice for Los Angeles set to host the next summer games. Tonight, President Macron reflecting on an extraordinary Olympics. What are your favorite moments? Obviously, the opening ceremony was a great moment. I have a lot of memories and the fact that we delivered something great for the world. And we made it and we make it iconic. All together. I thought you might say hanging out with Jimmy Fallon.

I think it was part of this. The French leader meeting Jimmy Fallon ahead of tonight's closing ceremony on the day of the opening ceremony France faced an attack on rail lines and driving rain. A lot of people were just this bid and see why it would be a nightmare. But his country he says overcame it. We will do it. And nothing will stop us. And this is exactly the message. Audacity, tenacity and nothing will stop us. We will make it.

The challenge now passes to Los Angeles. And your message for Los Angeles? I would say be yourself. When a lot of people will despair, never stop, never stop. The party's over, politics re-emerges. There is a huge vote in November in the US. How important is that vote to Europe and the world? No need to say that this vote is very important for Europe and for the rest of the world. We are fragmented, divided by a lot of fears, by a lot of tensions. But if you are ambitious, if you have audacity, if at the same time you have respect for everybody to give the right place, There is a bus. And the message of identity is so much for full.

Fraternity is what he hopes Paris 2024 was all about with the world watching. Kierseman's NBC news Paris. Still ahead with La hosting the games in 2028. How exactly will they pull off their plan to go car-free for it all? That was Tom Cruise jumping into the stadium before taking the Olympic flag at the closing ceremony, then it's off to Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 Summer Games there. And planning for those games is well underway, but there's a twist. In a place with some of the worst traffic in the country,

the push to ban cars. Steve Patterson explains how LA hopes to pull it off. Be honest. Besides maybe the Hollywood sign, this is probably what you think of when you picture L.A. And now the idea of a no-car Olympics in just four short years is hard for many to imagine, but that's the plan. Part of having a no-car Olympics means getting people not to drive, but also using public transportation to get to the games. The 2028 committee is aiming for the country's most climate-conscious Olympics. What people are going to see is a really different city than maybe what they are expecting. Plans are still in the works, but organizers say part of the deal is making L.A.'s already pre-existing Olympic venues only accessible by public transportation. To pull it off, the county is borrowing nearly 3,000 buses

to drive an estimated 1 million more trips a day, including venues spanning as far as 85 miles across the region and asking people to keep their roads clear by working from home. Local transportation officials say that would cost the L.A. metro system at least a billion dollars, and it's not clear who would foot the bill. Safe to say, many Angelenos are a little bit skeptical. I don't think it's possible. I would opt to leave town before I would take public transportation.

Transportation professor Jim Moore says it's a bridge too far for a city that doesn't rely on public transportation, and safety is a big sticking point. The reason the transit system doesn't feel safe right now is because it's not. And there's a lot that we need to do to make it safe. But this isn't the city's first rodeo. No traffic. It's just wonderful. Everybody should take the bus. Metro is hoping they can repeat the success of the 84 games when, despite high volume, drivers reported little congestion thanks to flexible work hours. L.A. hosted the ERAs Tour.

That event really gave us a lot of encouragement. People really would be willing to get around differently. Golden ambitions in a high-stakes four-year heat where the judges will be tough. Steve Patterson, NBC News, Los Angeles. And tonight, another Olympic record. French officials said Paris had the most marriage proposals for an Olympics Games. And if you fell in love with the Olympics, you can watch the closing ceremony and more on this final night here on NBC and on Peacock at 7 o'clock Eastern. That's NBC Nightly News for this Sunday.

I'm Hallie Jackson. For all of us here at NBC, thanks for watching and good night.