NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Saturday, July 10, 2026

Episode Date: July 12, 2026

Severe storms in the Midwest turn deadly; Iran’s supreme leader vows revenge for father’s killing; Sons of migrant killed by ICE in Texas demand answers; and more on tonight’s broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Abaging the country. The Midwest swamped. Floodwaters destroying everything in their path. Homes, businesses, cars. A summer camp turned into a river calling for daring rescues by a Black Hawk helicopter. In California, a fire just outside of Los Angeles right now burning out of control. Near triple-digit heat and terrifying fire natives slowing down first responders. Then, War of Words, Iran's new supreme leader vowing to get revenge. for his father's assassination. As President Trump threatens to respond with missiles, he says, are locked and loaded. Emotions running high and calls growing louder for an independent investigation after a man was shot and killed by ICE. Local officials now pushing for answers and evidence.

Detained in the West Bank, the tense scenes caught on camera when a congressman was stopped by armed Israeli settlers, how he says Israeli troops sided with them instead of him. Hitting a boiling point. The out-of-control humanitarian crisis in Cuba sparking near daily protests, as nationwide blackouts add to the anger, how the U.S. ratchets up the pressure with crushing sanctions. The frantic rush to evacuate millions overseas as a typhoon makes landfall. World Cup battle, teams fighting to stay alive in the tournament,

how Norway's star player is stirring up a fan frenzy across the U.S. Victory at Wimbledon, a first-time champ is crowned after an all-check women's final that captivated tennis fans. And there's good news tonight about a huge show of support at this baseball game and the moments these kids will never forget. This is NBC Nightly News with Jose Diaz Ballard. Good evening. We begin tonight with the severe weather hammering the country right now, raging floodwaters, swamping in the country. entire areas in Missouri. Homes and businesses destroyed. This pickup truck crumpled by the elements, another vehicle encased in mud. The floods leading to daring rescues. You're seeing here hundreds of kids and counselors who had to be evacuated by helicopter after floodwaters cut off

their camp. Even rescuers having trouble. That's very interesting. Look at this. First responders were forced to leap into the water after their boat capsized. In the West, tens of millions facing hundreds of high heat as the summit fire rages in Southern California. High winds not just spreading the fire, but stirring up these so-called fire natos. Our Camila Bernal starts us off tonight. Tonight, search and rescue teams on the ground and in the water as they scour through the devastation left behind by the severe storms that struck southeast Missouri.

Ferocious floodwater sweeping buildings off their foundations. You see it there. This water came up. the fastest of anything I've ever seen. KSDK's Melanie Johnson is on the ground. I want to show you more of the damage. This car, a mangled mess pushed onto this tree, completely destroyed other vehicles encased in mud and debris.

In the middle of that chaos, daring rescues. Black Hawk helicopters evacuating more than 200 children and counselors stranded at camp. half the camp was flooded. Like, it was just like the river had become the camp. I was freaking out. Everyone was freaking out. And a desperate search for missing 23-year-old Faith Gregory. We've been out here all day watching for something.

Tragically, we learned today Gregory did not survive. Authorities discovering her body nearly two miles downstream from her home. The water is so powerful, even first responders ran into trouble. Watch the moment an emergency boat capsizes. Those two troopers made it out safely. And the danger not over yet, much of the area at risk for more flooding. We are flooding in Mid-City. And south of there in New Orleans, heavy rain flooding streets today,

as much as five inches of rain expected in the Crescent City. Unbelievable. In other parts of the country, heat is the concern with some 50 million people under heat alerts. In the West, the summit fire raging. out of control in rural Los Angeles County. Prompting evacuations as firefighters battle not just the flames, but extreme heat expected to last for days. Temperatures nearing 100 degrees this weekend. And Camila Bernal joins us now from Los Angeles.

Camila, authorities are warning that heat will be unrelenting. That's right, Jose, tripled into temperatures in many areas, and heat alerts will remain in effect, not only here in the Los Angeles area, but across the mountain west and the upper Midwest through Tuesday. Jose? Kamila, Bernal, thank you. And just in tonight, Iran saying the Strait of Hormuz is closed, as the war of words, heats up between President Trump

and Iran's new Supreme Leader. Julie Sirkin has the latest. Tonight, Iran's new Supreme Leader vowing revenge for his father's killing must certainly be carried out. Ah, to me, Bandim. Mushaba Hamani issuing his sharpest warning yet in a funeral message reported by Iranian state media. He has not been seen since he was severely injured when the war began. His call for retaliation on full display this week during a days-long burial ceremony for his father, the former supreme leader who was killed during U.S. Israeli strikes in February.

Overnight, President Trump posting 1,000 missiles are locked and loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, should the Iranian government act on its threat. They want to take out the U.S. leader, me on whatever list. The Supreme Leader's warning comes as senior U.S. officials blame factions inside Iran's regime for shooting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz this week. Triggering back and forth strikes between U.S. and Iranian targets. Late tonight, Iranian state media reporting the Revolutionary Guard says the Strait of Hormuz is now closed until further notice.

Julie joins us now from the White House. Julie, President Trump switched planes on his way back from the NATO summit this week over security concerns, and now the Justice Department is looking into some journalists for reporting it. Exactly, Jose. The Justice Department issued subpoenas to several journalists for reporting security concerns, as you said, with the new Air Force One gifted by Qatar and debuted by President Trump earlier this month. The DOJ spokesperson says reporters are not the target, but potential leakers within the administration are. The U.S. official, Jose tells me FBI director Cash Patel is overseeing the investigation and he was actually here at the White House yesterday. Jose. Julie circling at the White House. Thank you. To Texas now, where calls are growing louder for an independent investigation. into the death of a 52-year-old man shot by ice. His family, advocates, and lawmakers demanding answers tonight. Priscilla Thompson has our story from Houston. From San Antonio to Washington,

calls for an independent investigation into the death of 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Arrajo, growing louder. Are you're going to need to not stand for this. Arajo was driving this white van Tuesday and being tailed by two dark SUV. moments later, he was on the ground dying after being shot by ICE agents. Now, leaders in Houston say they'll meet with the FBI to try to access the evidence as demands for answers mount.

At a vigil in Houston today, Arajo's son not backing down. And I will continue to keep fighting for him. Abug you. Amid heartbreak and fear. It could be mean. It could be my mom. Arrajo was not who ICE was looking for, lawmakers say. DHS says officers saw the van and an individual who resembled the target.

And that Arajo weaponized his vehicle and tried to hit an officer who fired in self-defense. Something the other men inside the van tell their attorney didn't happen. Do you believe that the ICE officers are lying about what happened? Yeah, well, we certainly now have conflicting testimony. I'm not prepared to say today that it's all lies, but it sure is looking that way. Tonight, DHS is leading the investigation. Borders are Tom Homan with this message. We've got to let the investigation play out.

Priscilla Thompson, NBC News, Houston. Tonight an American congressman is demanding answers after he said he was detained by armed Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Congressman Rokanehanna says the settlers were carrying U.S.-made rifles and that the Israeli military initially declined to help. Raf Sanchez has a story. It was a frightening encounter in the occupied West Bank. Democratic Congressman Rokana, who's weighing a 2028 presidential run, was visiting

a Palestinian village this week when he says his team was stopped by armed Israeli settlers. And these hoodlums come in with machine guns, an M4, an American-made machine gun, and they detain us. They block off the road. He says, when Israeli troops are right, he says, when Israeli troops are. arrived, they sided with the settlers and continued holding the congressman's group. I saw the arrogance in the eyes of those settlers, 21 and 22 year olds with guns laughing that they had detained us. The arrogance of those young IDF soldiers that my tax dollars are funding.

The soldiers allowed the group to leave only after frantic calls to the U.S. embassy and the arrival of Israeli police, Kana says. The IDF says its troops dispersed the settlers and did not take part. in blocking the road. Human rights groups say Israeli authorities do little to stop acts of violence and harassment by settlers against Palestinians.

Israel's Prime Minister denying that this week. I don't want and don't accept vigilanteism, and I don't care if it comes from Arabs or Jews. Congressman Kana visited the town of Tur Masaya, home to many Palestinian Americans. In 2023, it was overrun by a mob of settlers who set fire to

several homes. Israeli authorities did not prosecute anyone for the attack. Raf joins us now from Tel Aviv and Raf, this comes as Democratic voters are becoming more critical of Israel. That's right, Jose. A new poll for the Associated Press finds that 58% of Democrats now believe the U.S. is too supportive of Israel. That's up from 45% to years ago. And of course, Gaza has been a major issue in Democratic primaries. Jose. Ralph Sanchez in Tel Aviv, thank you. And don't miss Kristen Welker's big lineup on Meet the Press tomorrow morning, including an exclusive with Congressman Roe Kana, right here on NBC. And now to Cuba, where a dire humanitarian crisis is reaching a critical point.

There are protests on a near daily basis demanding freedom. Tonight, on a historic anniversary, the United States is ramping up pressure, too. Tonight, as Cubans face a second nationwide blackout just this week. Nearly 10 million people are grappling with a growing humanitarian crisis. That crisis unfolding tonight, exactly five years since massive historic demonstrations against the regime swept across the island. That movement still active to this day. Earlier this week, darkened streets echoed with the sounds of protest.

reporting from inside Havana, independent journalist Boris Gonzalez Arenas says it's hard to imagine conditions worse than the ones we have today. As conditions in Cuba declined, repression has been on the rise. Prisoners defenders, a group monitoring Cuban political prisoners, saying this week the regime has set new records for repression, more than 1,300 political prisoners, including 40 minors. Fidel Castro's daughter, Alie, Fernandez Revoltz, escaped Cuba to the United States in 1993. Alito, what do you make of the repression happening in Cuba right now? We are used to. We are commemorating today what happened five years ago, and it was exactly

the same. People were thrown in jail just for asking for liberty. The Cuban regime has been facing unprecedented pressure from the Trump administration, ramping up sanctions and stopping Venezuela's flow of free oil to the island. Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying in a statement today, Cuba's leaders must simply choose to commit themselves to real reforms, peace and prosperity before it's too late. Do you think that's possible? It doesn't look like, Jose, it's been the same for the last 67 years.

And more and more it seems to be a dynasty. The Secretary of State also saying today that the U.S. will use every tool to address national security. threats from the Cuban regime. Still ahead tonight, the rush to evacuate nearly two million people as a major typhoon moves in. And the battle is on to clinch the last spots in the World Cup semifinals. We'll take you to Miami where fans are buzzing over England's showdown with Norway.

Plus, history at Wimbledon as a first-time champion is crowd. Back now with the last games before the World Cup semifinals. And tonight, it just may be that some fans. have just as big of a spotlight as the players. You're a superfan Jesse Kirsch. Tonight, England toppling Norway, punching their ticket to the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in almost a decade. Blockbuster anticipation, pressure, and humor all swirling before the game even began. England, one of the few countries ever lucky enough to win the World Cup. The three lines on a quest to reclaim the title for the first time in 60 years. Be in Mexico,

different energy, completely different energy. But standing in England's way, the man known as the striking Viking. Erling Holland, Norway's superstar goal score, helping propel his nation farther than it's ever gone in World Cup history. And along the way, he's become a social media sensation. I think if we go home today, it's a win-win either way. It's insane that we reach this far. Norway's fans all.

also becoming stars with their now iconic Viking Roe echoing through Miami Beach Friday. Also making headlines tonight, the soccer pitch itself. FIFA selling the grass that will be used in the upcoming World Cup final, yours to own for $450 a piece. And later tonight, Lienel Messi in Argentina, take on Switzerland, both teams trying to get one step closer to playing on that pricey grass. Jose? Jesse Kirst, thank you so very much.

For all the action, you can watch the games in Espagnol on Telemundo and Peacock. We're back in a moment with the deadly plane crash under investigation in the Bahamas, what we know about the victims. Now, back with the deadly plane crash in the Bahamas, local officials say 10 people were killed Friday when a small plane went down on Andros, the largest island in the Bahamas. Video shows the plane's charred wreckage in a wooded airhead. area. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. And from China, authorities there evacuating nearly two million people along the country's east coast as a typhoon may landfall

this weekend. The storm now, a category one, already brought intense rain and wind to parts of Japan, Taiwan, and Guam. And out of Boston, take a look at what's sailing into town this weekend. Some 60 tall ships coming into the harbor as part of Sail Boston, 2026. The ships hail from around the world. Many also took part in last weekend's Sail Fourth Parade in New York City. Organizers expect a million people to turn out for this parade. And Wimbledon crowning a first-time champion, Linda Noscova, winning the All-Cech final in three sets,

a 21-year-old capturing her first gram-slam title, sealing the victory on the sixth championship point. Noscova dedicating the title to her mother who passed away two years ago. and saying the win feels, quote, incredible. When we come back, there's good news tonight about a massive show of support on and off the field and the moments these kids will never forget. There's good news tonight.

So often the good news doesn't get as much attention as the bad. So every Saturday, we highlight the many people who spread joy and love, and these are just some of those stories this week. Welcome for United Flight 1828 service on over to Chicago. For this United Airlines pilot, this isn't just any flight. This is actually my father's retirement flight today. After more than 40 years in the captain's seat,

Rob Lustman is making his final descent into retirement. But when Rob's ALS diagnosis kept him from flying his own retirement flight, Daniel did a great job. His son, Daniel, made the trip. extra special for the man who first showed him the sky. Sometimes there's just not worse to describe how cool it is. He's doing this and he fell through my footsteps. In Kenosha, Wisconsin, it's the game this baseball fan will never forget.

That's Haley Kolo, a cancer survivor, celebrating after throwing the first pitch at the Kenosha Kingfish game. And then a curveball. Waiting for her at home plate. It's the surgeon who got her over the finish line. Sparks were flying at the New York City Fire Department's family day. That's firefighter in training, Jason Ralph, repelling toward his girlfriend, Deja Moore, during a mock rescue.

He lowered her to safety. He swept her off her feet, getting down on one knee and popping the question. And in Iowa, A wave of hope. The Savannah bananas and the firefighters pausing their game to perform the Hawkeye Way to the kids at the University of Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Children's Hospital.

Being on the field with them, it was just amazing. And later that night, nine-year-old Hugh Harvey, who's battling cancer, stepping out under the bright lights to thunderous applause. It was just so cool.

They acted like they had known us forever. For Hugh's mom, Maria, it meant the world. To have all these 70,000 people praying and cheering for Hugh and the other kids, it's just, it's humbly. The day before, the bananas paying the kids a visit themselves. Shortstop Ryan Cox says going there was a no-brainer. Why do you do what you do? If we can do anything to brighten their spirits, our organization finds a way to get out there and make it happen. A home run for support on.

on and off the field. And a moment, these kids will never forget. It was by far the coolest thing I've ever seen a collective fan base do. There was no, hey, I'm rooting for this team or, hey, I'm rooting for that team. It was like, we're rooting for everybody right there across the street. And that's NBC & Haley News for this Saturday. The Great Halee Jackson will be here tomorrow night. I'm Jose D.S. Ballard.

Thank you for the privilege of your time and good night.