NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Sunday, May 26, 2024

Episode Date: May 27, 2024

At least 15 killed by tornadoes as severe storms wreak havoc across the country; Twelve passengers and crew injured after turbulence rocks Qatar Airways flight; Hamas claims responsibility for firing missiles into Israel; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, violent storms killing at least 15 people, tens of millions still at risk. Terrifying scenes across the heart of the country. Tornadoes ripping through neighborhoods, decimating these houses. Look at this woman caught driving through the middle of one tornado. This car, we're in it, we're in it. I can't do anything. The latest on the search and rescue and the danger ahead tonight. Another midair scare.

A dozen people hurt in bad turbulence on a flight. It was quite scary. It stopped, which it didn't, but then dropped. What's behind scenes like this one? Sirens blaring in Tel Aviv for the first time in months. Why Hamas now says it launched rockets directly at that Israeli city. A tough crowd for former President Trump. That's nice. Why he was booed at the Libertarian Convention. Plus, what to expect from closing arguments this week in his criminal trial. The millennial teen

and avid gamer nicknamed God's Influencer who could become the next Catholic saint. A summer travel warning, viral videos like these of baggage being thrown, dropped, even destroyed. How you can better protect your stuff when you fly. And ahead of Memorial Day, one soldier's tribute to the fallen and a performance decades in the making. This is NBC Nightly News with Hallie Jackson. Good evening. We're coming on the air with new threats from intense and deadly storms ripping through the middle of the country, killing at least 15 people. A dramatic and scary scene out of Texas with as many as 80 people trapped under

this gas station that collapsed, eventually rescued. In Oklahoma, a twister blasting through what looks like power lines. You see those flashes of light there. And in Indianapolis, lightning strikes delayed the green flag for hours at the Indy 500. Across several states, you can see from the air the scope of the destruction. Pieces of houses looking like matchsticks with about a half million people without power. And it looks like more bad weather is on the way. 51 million people at risk of severe weather again tonight in the heartland. Priscilla Thompson is there. Tonight, dangerous storms continuing a deadly tear across the country.

At the Indy 500 today, severe weather delaying the start of the race fans evacuating as lightning moved in. Oh there it is. Go go go. It follows a violent night of deadly storms when it hit. It was. It was just so loud. Dozens of tornadoes ripped across the Heartland from Texas to Arkansas, killing at least 15 people,

including two children. I can't do anything. In Valley View, TX. Officials say as many as 80 people were trapped in this rubble when the gas station they were sheltering in crumbled. He's here is here. Everybody running into the bathrooms

and getting down getting low. It was crazy. It's here. Everybody running into the bathrooms and getting down, getting low. It was crazy. It was loud. The severe storms and tornadoes leveling entire neighborhoods. This is where the front steps of this house once stood. As you can see, it has been completely knocked off of its foundation. The entire second floor gone as a family of seven sheltered inside. Everything was shaking and moving. Next door, Yolanda Vasquez says she clung to this doorknob as the twister tore through. What were you feeling? I was feeling that I was going to die. That was my last day being alive. In Claremont, Oklahoma, the Spinks family rode out the storm in their basement. You know, he's worked so hard on that room.

They both worked their butts off for this house, so I feel really bad for them, but it's going to work out. Everybody, it's tough. Severe weather patterns have terrorized parts of the country with dangerous flooding, damaging winds, giant hail and deadly tornadoes for the past month, with more than 400 reported twisters since the start of May, the most since 2019. That threat continuing tonight. I know the people here, you know, and I just, you know, it's just heartbreaking. And tonight, the governor on the ground at this gas station surveying the damage where

miraculously the upwards of 80 people who sheltered survived. Hallie. Priscilla Thompson, thank you. Let's get the latest forecast from NBC News meteorologist Angie Lastman. And Angie, we know there is still more to come. Good evening, Hallie. We continue to see this severe threat be far from over for this holiday weekend. Long line of storms extending from the Midwest to the Southeast. and we've got a really robust forecast with plenty of alerts and

effects, thunderstorm watches and tornado watches through the rest of the afternoon and into the evening hours. This is going to leave us with another round of severe threat tonight as we go from Texas to Virginia. Plus, on top of that, the risk for flash flooding. Notice where the red is, that's that moderate risk where we're most concerned for the strongest of those tornadoes, plus, of course, really damaging winds and the tennis ball size hail Nashville right in the bullseye of that by tomorrow. Memorial Day still dealing with soggy weather across the east. We'll continue to see an additional threat for some strong storms for parts of the mid-Atlantic stretching down into the southeast. Hallie. Angie, thank you. Overseas, yet another midair scare.

12 people hurt in wild turbulence on a flight to Dublin. Some injuries so severe, some passengers had to be taken to the hospital. Dana Griffin has the latest. Ambulances racing across the tarmac after severe turbulence rocked this Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Dublin. One passenger sharing these photos of the cabin in disarray. Food splattered on the ceiling. Panic, the look of panic everywhere.

We just felt the plane dip for about five seconds. And next to us, we saw the flight attendant just go up in the air and come straight back down. Dublin Airport says the Boeing B787-9 was over Turkey when it hit turbulence, injuring six passengers and six crew members. Some of the flight attendants I saw, they had like scratches on their face. They had ice to their face. There was one girl that had a sling on her arm. The airport also says emergency crews evaluated passengers on the plane in Dublin.

Eight people were taken to the hospital. It was so scary at the time. You just don't know, is this it or not? The airline says the matter is now subject to an internal investigation. The incident comes just days after a Singapore Airlines flight hit severe turbulence. Dozens remain hospitalized and one passenger died of a suspected heart attack. While turbulence is common, this level of severity is extremely rare. But scientists say climate change could cause the number of incidents to increase

as heat makes the jet stream more volatile. How crucial would it be for pilots to have advanced technology so that they can get a warning when something like this is about to happen? Oh, it would be. It would be a game changer. Another game changer, seat belts. It'll keep you in your seat and not in the ceiling. And if you happen to be out of your seat during an unexpected dip, try to brace yourself to avoid injuries. Dana Griffin, NBC News. To the Middle East now with sirens sounding inside Tel Aviv for the first time in months today after Hamas fired rockets directly at the Israeli city. Megan Fitzgerald has the details. Tonight, sirens blaring in central Israel. Warning of incoming fire near Tel Aviv.

The IDF saying Hamas launching some eight missiles from Rafah. No one was killed or seriously injured, but this home damaged by shrapnel. This resident saying there was a huge boom and smoke and fire and dust all over the house. A significant attack nearly eight months into the war. Hamas claiming responsibility in this social media video and showing it's still capable of firing back. Its military branch, Al-Qassam Brigade, saying the launch was in response to the Zionist massacre against civilians. It comes two days after the U.N.'s highest court ordering Israel to immediately stop

its offensive in Rafah, a binding but unenforceable order, and Israel is showing no signs it's willing to comply. But, amidst the fighting, some hope, a senior U.S. official telling NBC News progress was made Saturday as CIA Director Bill Burns met in Paris with Israeli and Qatari officials to revive negotiations. But the pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intensifying as weekly protests across Tel Aviv continue. Residents demanding a ceasefire to bring the hostages home. Hallie, Israel's defense minister saying today that efforts to return the hostages are ongoing. Meanwhile, Israel's war cabinet meeting tonight to discuss next steps needed to reach a deal.

Hallie. Megan Fitzgerald, thank you. Tough crowd for former President Trump, booed at the Libertarian Convention as he tried to peel off at least some support, all ahead of what could be a pivotal week for his campaign, with closing arguments in his historic criminal trial less than 48 hours away. Here's Julie Serkin. It's a long holiday weekend of campaigning for former President Donald Trump. And today he's hitting the gas pedal, courting voters and speed racers of the Coca-Cola 600. Are you going to win North Carolina?

You believe so. A big NASCAR contest in a key battleground state, North Carolina. But last night, a far less friendly reception than Trump typically sees at his own rallies. The crowd at the Libertarian National Convention booing the former president. Combine with us. You have to combine with us. We cannot give crooked Joe Biden four more years. In 2016, Trump was able to reach voters outside traditional party lines.

But this year? The Libertarian Party should nominate Trump for president of the United States. Whoa. Maybe you don't want to win. Maybe you don't want to win. Libertarian voters seem hesitant to support the former president. I would rather eat my own foot out of a bear trap. Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who spoke to the same audience on Friday, was briefly considered today to be the party's 2024 nominee, but was quickly voted out by the Libertarian delegates. It hasn't stopped RFK, Trump, or even President Biden from trying to make inroads with third-party voters.

Biden skipped the Libertarian Convention, speaking to military cadets instead at West Point's commencement, a White House tradition. Nothing is guaranteed about our democracy in America. Every generation has an obligation to defend it. And Julie joins us here on set. So, Julie, Mr. Trump is heading back to court in New York later this week, and people are already lining up. Yes, standing in line since Saturday, hoping to witness those closing arguments in Trump's hush money trial, which will begin on Tuesday. A verdict, by the way, could come as soon as this week. We will see.

Julie Serkin, thank you very much. We're back with those confrontations between stars and one particular security guard at the Cannes Film Festival making headlines. This is Dominican actress Maciel Taveras appearing to push the guard away on the red carpet. Just the day before, singer Kelly Rowland got into it, appearing to scold the same guard. It is not clear what led to these exchanges. To Rome now, where Pope Francis, celebrating World Children's Day, is paving the way for an Italian teenager and gamer to become the first millennial saint. Marissa Parra has the story. 50,000 children from around the world joining Pope

Francis for the very first World Children's Day in Rome, days after the Vatican cleared the path for what could be the youngest saint of this generation. Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who died in 2006 of leukemia, now credited by the church for two miracles for helping heal two young people who were critically ill. It's so nice to meet you. Today, his mom Antonia telling me Carlo was a normal kid with an extraordinary heart. Since he was small, he was a special child, very generous, helping the others. His mom says he was a boy who loved video games, loved soccer, and used the internet and kind deeds to spread the word of God.

Religious scholars say a St. Carlo could be a game changer for the church struggling to recruit the next generation. Could it be possible that St. Carlo would be the new patron saint of the internet? Absolutely. NBC contributor Kathleen Sproes Cummings authored the book A Saint of Our Own. What do you think the impacts of this could be? They are captivated by Carlo's story. They see him. They marvel that he wears jeans. He wore Nike sneakers. He's someone that they can see themselves in. And where sainthood can take decades, even centuries, Carlo could become a saint by the end of next year. Carlo's mom finding peace in a legacy with no bounds.

I think Carlo can be an example also for non-believers. Marissa Parra, NBC News. We are back with more in a moment, including a checked bag nightmare for travelers and what you can do if this happens to your stuff. And a special D-Day honor, 80 years in the making. We're back with a warning this summer travel season about what can really happen to your luggage when you're not looking. But thanks to all those camera phones these days, some passengers are watching their bags being thrown, dropped, even destroyed. Valerie Castro has a closer look. A cringeworthy sight for a

college golf team watching their golf club bags carelessly tossed around on the tarmac by airline baggage handlers. These are not just any old golf clubs, right? Right. These clubs are all fitted for, you know, each individual player. This all happening just days before the East Tennessee State University men's team was set to play in the NCAA tournament. This is one of the biggest tournaments they'll play in in their amateur careers. They were very kind of scared about whether any of those clubs could be broken. The team reporting no damage to the clubs, Delta Airlines reaching out with an apology,

asking for a mulligan on how their equipment was handled. It's just the latest example of travelers dealing with battered and broken baggage, like this scene of luggage falling off a conveyor belt. In this case, bags sent down a slide only to slam into other luggage. One baggage handler seen throwing things onto the ground, then apparently being reprimanded. All scenes no traveler wants to see. What do you think happened to your bag? It looks like it was run over. Tiffany Hess had to gate check her carry-on, but got it back in a very different condition. The contents so jostled that cosmetic powders and palettes were crushed. These invisible retainers, a costly casualty.

It was like $500 or $525, something like that. Despite the headlines, over 485 million pieces of luggage were handled last year, according to the Department of Transportation. And travel experts say things are getting better, but no airline is perfect. What recourse do passengers have? Travelers can get sort of compensation from the airline in the case of contents being broken or mishandled, as well as the outside of the actual piece of luggage itself. Experts say take photos of the outside as well as what you packed on the inside, or don't check a bag at all.

I thought I had done everything right. Tiffany did get a check from the airline for around $970 to cover her losses and some emotional baggage. Has this whole experience discouraged you from traveling? Yes, absolutely. If no one else ever had to deal with this again, I would be so pleased. Valerie Castro, NBC News. When we come back, there's good news tonight about this soldier's dedication to service and an unforgettable tribute.

There's good news tonight on this Memorial Day weekend about the power of music to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and one soldier's performance of a lifetime. The notes, somber and familiar. A musical homage heard so many times before. But for Sergeant First Class Eric Stroop of the Army Reserve 81st Readiness Division in Fort Knox, Kentucky, his performance in France next week will be extra special. Being able to travel and honor the events that happened both leading up to and being on D-Day. As a bugler, it's the highest honor we can participate in. This was to be the longest day. D-Day, June 6, 1944. The Allied invasion had begun. When Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy. Some two and a half thousand Americans were killed that day. Now, 80 years on, Sergeant Stroop and the 100th Army Reserve Band will be there, standing in solidarity to honor

the fallen. His call to service, a family affair, his father, stepdad, and uncle all enlisting. I'm standing on a history of who I compare to as my heroes in a lot of instances. A bugler nearly all his life, Sergeant Stroop's love of music brought him to this life-changing moment. He and his bandmate practicing before their journey, making sure not one note is out of tune. You have this nagging kind of like feeling that you don't want to let anybody down, especially for something as monumentous as the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Their upcoming performances in France,

more than a dozen planned, tributes to the brave souls who died that fateful day. Those soldiers, they gave the ultimate sacrifice. And if me playing 21 notes in the highest regard is the highest honor I can do, then I'm going to do it as best as I can every single time. And with that, we join all of you on this Memorial Day weekend in remembering and honoring those who died to protect our freedom. That's nightly news for this Sunday. I'm Hallie Jackson. Thanks for watching and have a great week.