NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Thursday, July 30, 2026

Episode Date: July 31, 2026

Urgent warning over water system cyberattacks; Trump threatens to withdraw Blanche nomination; Firefighters face unrelenting battle with flames; 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.

Tonight, the nationwide alert fears Iran possibly hacked water supply systems right here in the U.S. The FBI investigating a cyber attack on multiple water supplies in Minnesota as a new alert goes out to water systems across the U.S. to protect against hacks. President Trump threatening to pull Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination as two Republican senators block his confirmation. escaping the flames, the wildfires spreading to more European countries, as actor George Clooney and his wife are forced to evacuate their home in France. Fiery house explosion, security video capturing the blast, sparks flying, debris sent airborne. New video appearing to show Nolan Wells on the day he went missing. What it shows, as we learn the state's autopsy report, is now complete. Our series, the cost of denial and the painful condition, up to 60% of women experience after pregnancy.

But for this woman, it wasn't covered by insurance. What happened after NBC News called? A truck struck by lightning erupting into a fireball what the driver told us. Heroic lifeguard speaks out what this teen is now saying about the moments he raced in to save a young boy drowning. tip of the iceberg, the giant glacier chunk, flipping, sending waves to shore. Finding the golden ticket, the one-of-a-kind baseball card worth up to $10 million, finally found. So who bought the Lucky Pack? And there's good news tonight, the patriotic salute for this airman returning home,

how his neighbors rolled out the red, white, and blue carpet. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yomas. And good evening. It's great to be with you on this Thursday. We want to begin with the urgent warning tonight from the U.S. government and the top cyber defense agency in the country that water systems nationwide should be on alert for potential cyber attacks. That warning sounding the alarm for the entire country after the FBI said it is investigating a widespread cyber attack on Minnesota water supply systems. that has the hallmarks of Iranian hackers. The new warning comes after another escalation in the war overseas.

Here you can see new video of the latest wave of U.S. retaliatory strikes against Iran, a response to a surprise Iranian attack in the region. These new strikes ending a brief but notable pause in fighting that lasted several days. Despite all of this, President Trump says he believes a deal can still be reached between the U.S. and Iran. Our Garrett Hake starts us off tonight from the White House. Tonight, the Trump administration warning water system operators across the country to take steps to protect against a, quote, significant increase in cyber threat actors targeting America's water supply. It comes as a senior law enforcement official tells NBC news that a cyber attack launched on more than 30 municipal water systems across Minnesota this week bears all the hallmarks of Iranian-backed hackers. Though the official cautions, the forensic analysis is still in its early stages.

The FBI now leading the investigation. We've never had a similar incident, so this is the first. One town says its water network went temporarily offline. The water tower was calling for water, but the well was not working. Officials say crews were able to quickly get the water systems running again, and that there is no indication the cyber attack made any water supplies unsafe to drink. A potential new threat from the Iranian. regime as overseas U.S. forces launching strikes against dozens of Iranian targets, including

military command centers and missile and drone facilities. Aimed, Sentcom says, at reducing Iranian threats to U.S. assets, commercial ships, and Gulf Arab allies. And all after the president vowed retaliation against Iran for its failed missile attack on American troops. We can hit them very hard. I mean, I can actually say that because there's very little they can do about it. The president insisting a deal with the Iranian regime can still be reached. Despite Iran breaking last month's ceasefire agreement within hours of signing it, Iranian strikes leading to U.S. retaliation. They nevertheless took a shot, so it's our turn. And we'll see if we get there with an agreement at some point. Garrett, these potential hacks on our water systems are incredibly

alarming. I know you have some late reporting on what the Trump administration says the hackers are doing to the water systems. Yeah, Tom, the government's cybersecurity agency says that hackers modified passwords to lock operators out of these computer systems that in some cases, these resulted in boil water notices and forced the operators to take manual control of their systems back. Tom. Garrett Hake, leading us off at the White House. We're going to stay in Washington because of the surprise U-turn from President Trump, saying he may pull the nomination of his acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, to take that job permanently after opposition from two. Senate Republicans. Kelly O'Donnell has the late details. Tonight, a new gamble from President Trump, a threat to delay confirmation of his own choice

for Attorney General, Todd Blanche. All I can say is Todd Blanche is outstanding, and I thought he's, I thought it was pretty routine because he's so good. Royled in a dispute with two Republican senators who demand changes to the Trump family's lawsuit settlement with the IRS. If they don't become terms with the resolution that Senator Tillis and I have requested, then I think he's not going to be confirmed anytime soon. The president with this curveball, posting, I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd's name if they do not do the right thing.

Holding out, Mr. Trump says, until January, putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office. Republicans John Cornyn and Tom Tillis are lame duck senators. Tillis did not run again, and Cornyn lost his primary after President Trump endorsed his Republican rival. They have made clear that to confirm Blanche, they want a commitment in writing to drop a so-called anti-weaponization fund that could compensate Trump allies. Kelly, let's pick it up right there. I know you have some new reporting about a meeting between Blanche and these two Republican holdouts. That's right. Multiple sources tell us that Blanche met today with Senators, Cornyn and Tillis, described as a collaborative meeting. Another key issue for those senators are there concerns about the agreement that protects

the Trump family and businesses from IRS audits that could benefit them financially? Tom? Kelly, thank you. We want to head overseas now because those European wildfires have expanded to even more countries. As far north as the U.K., while in France, one of its most famous residents, actor George George Clooney, forced to evacuate with his wife, or Ralph Sanchez is on the front lines. A new front in Europe's battle against the flames with fires now in southern England, a country where outbreaks are rare now facing a major blaze amid record low rainfall and scorching heat.

While in southern France, fire retardant dropped near the village of Brignon, home to George Clooney and his wife Amal, who say they were forced to evacuate their 18th century manor house. Clooney writing in a letter to the mayor, whatever happens to our village, we're part of this community, and we'll be part of making it whole. But word tonight, authorities now lifting the evacuation order in the area.

While in Western France, we traveled into the fire zone in Bordeaux wine country, where the situation at first looked under control. But intense heat and strong winds meant a single glowing ember could, in an instant, turn to flames. And this is the danger.

This fire just came absolutely. out of nowhere. It is so dry here. And now you can see there is this desperate effort to keep it from becoming something bigger. These are basically just pickup trucks with water on the back, doing what they can to douse the flames. And even as some evacuees here are now being allowed to return home, the exhausting battle to stamp out the flames and keep them out is far from over. Raf Sanchez, NBC News, Bordeaux. And back here at home, we have some new video tonight of a violent home explosion that leveled the structure and damaged at least six others in Ohio. It happened early this morning as families were asleep.

Shaquille Brewster with that blast caught on camera. Tonight, a dangerous inferno erupting in the Northeast Ohio neighborhood. Get out of the house. Out of the house. This is the moment it ignited. Families in Canton jolted awake before dawn. sparks flying through a cloud of smoke. Oh, my God.

Neighbors stunned as they try to figure out what just happened. Man, a whole house shook. Firefighters racing to the scene as flames spread. We have a total destruction of the house. Fragments of that home blasted as far as two football fields away. At least six other homes damaged, some residents forced to evacuate. Daylight revealing the full field. field of debris. The fire department says that two men were rushed to the hospital, including one

with burns to 80 percent of his body. The first individual was actually blown out of the house. Officials say it was a natural gas explosion and that the home was supposed to be vacant and for sale. Now they're investigating what caused that blast. As a neighborhood recovers after being rocked by a shocking explosion. Shaquille Brewster, NBC News. Tonight we have some significant new developments in the case of Nolan Wells, that missing Mississippi college football player that was later found dead. NBC News learning the state autopsy is complete, as more videos are now surfacing of the day he went missing. Our Aaron Gilchrist has more. Tonight, that state autopsy report now in the hands of investigators. The results have not been

made public. The examination of Nolan Wells' body was conducted on July 7th, one day after he was found dead at the Barrier Island where he spent the 4th of July holiday with friends. This is new video surfaces appearing to show Nolan at different points during the day. The Officer Tatum podcast posting surveillance video from the boat launch where Nolan and his friends departed on the morning of July 4th. The podcast also airing video and NBC News analysis confirms is from Horn Island on July 4th. You see dozens of boats and people in the water. The show's host claiming Nolan is among them. Another clip aired on the podcast appears to show Nolan's friend's boat being towed.

Nolan does not appear to be on it. One of Nolan's friends who traveled home on the boat said they left because the boat malfunctioned and that Nolan decided to stay behind. Meanwhile, Nolan's mother, as administrator of his estate, making several legal moves this week sending subpoenas to several social media companies for information and content from his accounts. Today, Nolan's mother again asking her community to speak up. We are begging if anyone knows anything, his friends, strangers, please call the hotline. Aaron Gilchrist, NBC News.

Tonight, a hero is speaking out and he's only 16 years old. He's the lifeguard in that video showing him rescuing a little boy who was drowning. Now he and the father of the boy he saved are speaking out. Here's Liz Croix. Tonight we're hearing for the first time from that 16-year-old lifeguard seen in this now viral video rescuing a boy off California's Santa Cruz coast. Writer Williams says he was at the waterline when he saw a child lose his footing in ankle-deep water. I radioed it in, threw my radio and sunglasses at the base of my tower as I ran toward the kid. That's where the heart-stopping video begins.

You can see for two long minutes Williams holding on to the limp 10-year-old. violent waves crashing into them, forcing them underwater, but Williams never letting go. He credits his fellow lifeguard, Aaron Bonin, for his help, adding that when bystanders also jumped in, he yelled at them to get back to shore. What does it mean to you that these young men saved your son's life? It means everything to me.

My children mean the world to me. That's why I'm just eternally and forever grateful. Anything I can do for them, I owe them my life. Sumi Rye says the boy William saved is his son Nathaniel, who was on vacation with his mother's family in California. He says he was shocked when he learned Williams is only 16. He's a child himself. He's only six years older than my son.

For him to take that kind of risk and show that kind of courage and bravery, speaks volumes about his character. Tonight, as accolades pour in for Williams, including an invite to the White House by President Trump, the teen humbly responding, this is my job and I love what I do. I'm thankful to my fellow lifeguards to perform rescues just like this every day.

Liz Croix, NBC News. Such a brave kid there. All right, when we return in 60 seconds, our series, the cost of denial. The mom in constant pain for years because of a common but painful complication after childbirth, why she had to fight for that surgery and what happened when she called us? Plus, the driver whose truck turned into a fireball when it was struck by lightning. And the gold rush for a one-of-a-kind baseball card is over. Who ended up with the Shohei Otani baseball card worth.

$10 million. We're back now with our series, the cost of denial, where we investigate the challenges people face with their insurance. Tonight, our Stephanie Gossk reports on an issue faced by up to 60% of women after pregnancy,

and the pain one woman had to go through to get treated. How dark do things get when you think about the pain, the daily pain? It's not good enough. That's definitely not good. I mean, I don't think anybody would want to, like, live this way long term, and I've been living

this way for a long time now. For Stephanie Garnow, normal life is impossible. So I can't walk for very long without being in a lot of pain. After giving birth to her two sons, Stephanie developed diastasis recti, a stretching of the lining that holds the abdominal muscles in place. The Portland, Oregon mother and therapist is forced to watch her husband do nearly everything. Everything. Cooking, driving, even carrying her bags. He helps me get dressed in the morning. She relies on corsets to stabilize her core. I mean, it doesn't look comfortable. No. 60% of women who give birth

developed diastasis recti. Most heal within a year. A third do not. Stephanie's sons are now 12 and 14. I was told for years like, oh, that's normal. It'll go away. It's not a big deal. It is a big deal. it's just progressively gotten worse. Her doctor recommended corrective surgery, but back in April, her Medicaid plant, health share of Oregon, denied coverage with little explanation, telling her your diagnosis falls on a non-funded line. One to 470 are funded.

Her condition, they said, was number 639. This is like denial letters. She appealed and was denied again. It can be quite a challenge to get insurance coverage for surgical correction. Dr. Ashonda St. John, an OBGYN, says that some requests to fix diastasis recti are wrongly dismissed as cosmetic. Are there women who say, I can't afford to just pay for it here? I'm going to go someplace else, even if it could compromise the care again. Absolutely, absolutely. And they take that risk because the pain is so much.

Stephanie considered doing the same thing, but wrote to NBC News after seeing the Cost of Denial series. Before sitting down for our interview, we reached out to her Medicaid plan. And 48 hours later, a surprise voicemail from her doctor's office. The surgery was approved. The very day of our interview. Do you think it's a coincidence that this was approved? No, no, I don't. Health Sheriff Oregon denies the call from NBC News played any role in its reversal.

The decision it says was based on additional clinical documentation, from Stephanie's doctor, writing in a statement, with this new information, medical reviewers determined that the procedure met medical necessity criteria to be covered. It's relief, but how does that make you feel about the system in general? I think it's kind of disgusting that people have to work so hard to get the care that they need. Are you going to plant this here? But for the wife and mother, some hope. Maybe she could be gardening again, Soon. We hope so. Stephanie Goss joins us now in studio.

So, Steph, so many women are affected by this after they give birth. What was the advice that the doctor told you for women that are in this pain? She said, listen, if you're feeling this pain, tell your doctor. If your doctor's not listening to you, find another doctor. Because there is surgery that could potentially help you, and no woman should have to live with this pain, Tom. All right. Great work by you and the team again. We thank you for that.

We're back after the break with the scary moment. An iceberg flips over. setting off a gigantic wave. That's next. We're back now with a scary seeing out of Utah. Check a look at this. Video of a truck going up in flames after the driver said it was struck by lightning. It happened on the highway where the driver said he felt a strong jolt when he saw a big flash of light. Thankfully, he was able to pull over and make it out alive. Incredible.

Also caught on camera on iceberg capsizing off the coast of Greenland. You can see the moment the iceberg begins to crumble before violently flipping onto its side, sending up this big cloud of ice and snow, waves crashing towards the shore as well. And the search is over for a one-of-a-kind Shohei Otani baseball card that we told you about. Tops announcing a collector opened a pack in Boca Raton, Florida, and found this inside. Take a look at shows they won the card. Now a high-end collector says he is paying about $10 million for it, making it one of the most expensive baseball cards ever sold.

When we come back tonight here on nightly news, there's good news about coming home and the huge welcome back as captain got from some great neighbors. Stay with us. Finally, there's good news tonight. Neighbors rallying together to welcome home one of their own, an airman who had been serving overseas. Nearly the whole neighborhood lined the street waving American flags. Ready to welcome home Alabama Air National Guard Captain Thomas Autry. During Captain Autry's five-month deployment, these friends and neighbors stepped up, helping his wife Rachel and their two boys with home-cooked meals, encouraging notes, even mowing their lawn. Our boys got to see this is what it looks like to be a part of a tribe, a village, a group of people that are going to take care of each other. The village that stepped up for all those months turned out in full force.

It was a flood of people with big flags in the street dancing and hollering. I mean, we could hear them from a couple blocks out. It was pretty emotional. There were a lot of tears. There were lots of, we did it. And I thought that was so special, not like a you did it or y'all did it. It was a week. Every member of the Autry family, even their dog, Remy, unable to contain their excitement.

Together again, as a family, surrounded by the community that gave them so much strength. If you don't know your neighbors go and get to know them, if you don't feel like you have, help, go and ask for help because what we just experience is available for anybody. What an incredible community. All right, that's nightly news for this Thursday. I'm Tom Yamas. We thank you so much for watching. Tonight and always, we're here for you. Good night.