NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Episode Date: July 23, 2025

Remembering heavy metal rock legend Ozzy Osbourne; Top DOJ official expects to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell; Lifeguard reveals new details about effort to rescue "Cosby Show" star from drowning; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

He rose from the Prince of Darkness to a pioneer of reality TV. Tonight, remembering Ozzy Osbourne, the music world paying tribute to the British rock giant who defined the earliest days of metal as the front man of Black Sabbath. Biting the heads off birds and bats along the way, in the 80s his solo career took off and as a father, his home life on the Osbournes ushered in a new era of reality TV, the remembrances across the world tonight. Also tonight, Pam Bondi's deputy and the president's former personal attorney Todd Blanch says he'll meet with Jeffrey Epstein accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, and why the House is leaving

the Capitol early to avoid a vote calling for the release of more Epstein files what happened to Malcolm Jamal Warner tonight we're in Costa Rica to learn more about how people on the beach tried to save his life and what our team saw right when they walked on the beach the global heat wave 70 million facing temperatures that feel like it's over 100 degrees in the U.S. as crews battle wildfires even fire Nato's across Europe. Coca-Cola about to taste a whole lot sweeter.

President Trump's push to use American cane sugar over corn syrup. With the soda giant is saying about the change and the politics behind the push. Find my iPhone how a church in Miami inadvertently got mixed up in a black market pipeline of stolen cell phones. Stephanie Goss tracks the story from North Carolina to Florida to China to explain what happens to your smartphone when it's taken. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yalmas. And good evening. Tonight the world remembering heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne. The former lead singer of Black Sabbath died just weeks after the band's farewell show in England you see right here.

Osbourne spent five decades in the spotlight helping pioneer heavy metal and challenging musical norms. Dubbed the Prince of Darkness, Osbourne went on to have a successful solo career known for his signature scream and all-black att attire Osborne became a pioneer yet again with the success of the reality show the Osborne's in 2002 introducing the world to his family far before the Kardashians did Osborne was open about his struggles with drugs and alcohol addiction and spoke about the difficulty of his Parkinson's diagnosis we begin tonight with Joe fryer with

more on Osborne's lasting legacy. It was just this month that Ozzy Osborne the prince of darkness abdicated his heavy metal throne, a farewell concert with his black Sabbath bandmates in their hometown of Birmingham, England. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.

I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.

I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.

He was with his family and surrounded by love. On social media, Black Sabbath posted this photo with a simple statement, Ozzy forever. Osbourne was lead singer for the heavy metal group rising to fame in the 70s. They pioneered a rockest type of music that made rock and roll sound like easy listening to songs like paranoid. Later rejected from the band for excessive drinking and drug use Osborne landed on his feet with a successful solo career powered by hits like crazy train.

career powered by hits like crazy train. His decades-long career was punctuated by a single infamous moment reenacted in parody throughout his life the time he bit the head off a bat he thought it was a toy. I picked it up by things that often suddenly it was breaking and it's a real back and saw a lighter side of the metal God on the highly censored MTV reality show the Osborne. It's bubbles.

I'm sure that I'm the prince of the dog. And over the years he won Grammys performed for the Queen and created the music festival. I spent tributes are pouring in John says he was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods. His bandmate Tony Iomi posting, rest in peace Oz. And from Metallica, a photo with a broken heart emoji. Glowing praise for the Prince of Darkness. And Joe Fryer joins us now live in studio. So Ozzy Osbourne lived to be 76.

He was very public with his battles, but also his comebacks. Yeah, that's right. And his family didn't say how he died, but we do know he faced a number of health challenges over the years, including spinal surgeries, a Parkinson's diagnosis. He also candidly discussed struggles with sobriety

throughout his life, but said it was his wife Sharon who saved his life. Now to Washington. The new announcement that a top official at the Justice Department is looking to speak with Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Jeffrey Epstein. Peter Alexander has the late details. Tonight, Attorney General Pam Bondi announcing her top deputy expects to meet soon with Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted accomplice of notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, deputy attorney general Todd Blanch posting president Trump is told us to release all

credible evidence if Ghislaine Maxwell has information about anyone who committed crimes against victims. The FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say it's the latest effort by the Trump administration to defuse the uproar among some Trump supporters over the handling of the DOJ files on Epstein. President Trump today saying he would support it. I don't know about it, but I think it's something that would be sounds appropriate to do. Yeah, it's sort of a witch hunt, just a continuation of the witch hunt. Hours later, the House Oversight Committee approved a Republican-led motion to subpoena Maxwell.

She wants to tell us who all was going to Epstein Island. I think that would be interesting. Tonight, the House Speaker, Republican Mike Johnson, says he'll send lawmakers home early for their summer break, delaying any votes demanded by Democrats and some Republicans that would call for the release of more Epstein files. They were actually ending this week early because they're afraid to cast votes on the Jeffrey Epstein issue. We should release the Epstein files. Johnson slamming it as political games. The Democrats are trying to play gotcha politics right now. Has anyone forgotten?

They had all these files the entire time. They sat on everything Epstein related for four long years while President Biden was in office. Last week the Justice Department asked a federal court to unseal secret grand jury records in the Epstein case. Today the judges said they need more information to make a ruling. Tonight Maxwell's lawyer confirmed discussions with the DOJ thanking President Trump quote for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case. But some Democrats argue Maxwell, who's appealing her 20-year sentence, may be looking for a presidential pardon.

All right, Peter Alexander joins us live from the White House. Peter, let's turn to former President Obama with a strong rebuke of President Trump's latest accusations against him. The time President Trump pushed the conspiracy theory today that Obama tried to undermine Trump's 2016 victory, accusing Obama of treason, pointing to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's recent claims that Obama officials manufactured intelligence about Russian interference. Former President Obama's office today called Trump's accusations outrageous, ridiculous, and a weak attempt at distraction.

Tom. All right, Peter, our thanks to you. We now wanna head to Costa Rica where beloved Cosby show actor Malcolm Jamal Warner drowned on Sunday. Tonight we're hearing from a lifeguard who shared new details about the frantic effort to try to save Warner's life. Jesse Kirsch is there in Costa Rica tonight. This is the Costa Rican beach where officials say

a dangerous rip current swept away Malcolm Jamal Warner. The Cosby Show star drowning in secluded paradise on Sunday. What makes that beach so treacherous? You know, it's similar to other beaches where there are strong rip currents that are deceiving. Mike Geist helps run a volunteer lifeguard organization here. He says while no lifeguards were on duty that day, Geist's friend who happens to be a trained lifeguard was there to surf and discovered

Warner unresponsive in the water. You know the first thing that they do is they bring him to the surface and give the emergency respirations. Right there. Right there. In the water. In the water on the surfboard. And when he didn't respond to that, my friend rapidly took him into the beach and they immediately began CPR. These are the first things we saw when we pulled up to the beach.

Signs in Spanish and English warning people about potentially hazardous conditions. This sign even giving a roadmap for how to escape a rip current. Costa Rica's Red Cross says they were able to rescue another man alive who was taken to a clinic in critical condition. Meanwhile, tonight the outpouring

continuing to grow loose weight shoes. Hit it. Raven Simone, who played Warner's niece on the Cosby show posting this emotional tribute The big brother he was one of the most Multifaceted talented men So gentle in a 2013 interview Warner said his proudest achievement wasn't the hit sitcom But building a life and I'm beyond the Cosby show if I die tomorrow I

I know I would go with a smile on my face. And with that, Jesse joins us now live from Costa Rica. Jesse, officials say Warner's autopsy is now complete. It was completed this morning, according to authorities, Tom, and they say that it confirmed that Warner's drowning death was in fact an accident. Tom? Jesse Kirst for us tonight, Jesse. Thank you. Now to the big change coming from one of America's iconic companies.

Coke will now offer a soft drink option made with American cane sugar, a change President Trump had pushed for. Here's Hallie Jackson. It's not exactly new Coke, but it's new to the U.S. Coca-Cola made with American cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. Coming soon. We give people more choice and more ways to enjoy the Coca-Cola brand. And enjoying this choice, the country's highest profile, Cola Connoisseur, President Trump,

who famously has a diet Coke button on his desk in the Oval Office, and who reportedly peppered the head of Coca-Cola about why the company didn't use cane sugar, according to a new book. The president, previewing Coca-Cola's announcement Wednesday, it's just better, he posted. And on that, plenty of agreement. Whoa! Oh my gosh. This is 10,000 times better. It's way more fresh, and it has more flavor.

Coca-Cola already uses cane sugar in its Mexican version, but high fructose corn syrup in what you usually find here in the US. This version isn't going anywhere. But the new product they're adding will feature only American cane sugar. The push now appears to revolve around the president's Maha movement, Make America Healthy Again, led by his health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who's long favored the switch

to cane sugar. High fructose corn syrup. That is poison. If you're going to drink Coca-Cola, drink a Mexican Coke because they don't have it in it. But ounce for ounce, both versions are roughly the same number of calories and the same amount of sugar in a standard bottle, about as much as you'll find in two and a half full-sized chocolate bars. There's no health benefits for substituting cane sugar with high fructose corn syrup. I think the biggest difference may be in taste. And to some customers, that's pretty sweet. Hallie Jackson, NBC News. Sticking with President Trump here as

the president presses for deals in a heated trade war, senior business correspondent Christine Romans explains how tariffs already in place are cutting into automakers bottom lines. Following an Oval Office meeting with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. We'll probably agree to something. President Trump announcing via social media a trade deal in which the Philippines will pay a 19% tariff on its exports to the US and the US zero tariffs on exports to the Philippines. President Trump also saying the countries will work together militarily. The Philippines has yet to confirm any details of the deal.

The announcement comes ahead of the August 1st tariff deadline for US trade partners, and as the impact of tariffs already in place becomes more clear. Tariffs are obviously a big story for us. General Motors today said the price tag for President Trump's tariffs was $1.1 billion in the second quarter. We don't expect any specific price increases related to tariffs. GM so far eating the tariff cost, trying to offset some of it through cost cuts and investments in the U.S. Many of the manufacturing announcements that we made earlier in the quarter about onshore

and production here into the U.S. with $4 billion of capital initiatives are going to have an effect as we get 18 to 24 months down the road. But the current 25 percent auto tariffs, hard to avoid. GM says they will cost the company $4 to $5 billion this year. Other automakers feeling it too. Jeep and Chrysler maker Stellantis says due in part to tariffs, it expects a $2.7 billion loss in the first half of the year. Christine Romans, NBC News, New York. And we'll be right back with a simple question. Where do cell phones go when they're taken?

How one man's iPhone led R. Stephanie Goss on a twisting path to a church and a black market pipeline of stolen smartphones. That's next. We're back now with an NBC News investigation into stolen smartphones and why people from around the country are tracing theirs to a most unlikely location in Miami. Stephanie Goss explains. Last January, Thomas Baker was out with friends at a bar in Charlotte, North Carolina,

the last time he had his phone. It was kind of surprising because you don't really expect to be pickpocketed in Charlotte. But actually phone thefts at bars in Charlotte have gotten so bad the police posted this video warning online. I don't think this is a Charlotte issue. I don't think it's a center city issue. I think this is a national issue. Back home, Baker logged into Find My iPhone on his laptop. I started tracking the location. Within hours, his phone went from Charlotte to Cal Penn, South Carolina. Thomas Baker's phone was clearly on the move

and it ended up here, not in North or South Carolina, but Miami, Florida. And the Find My app placed it inside this 100-year year old church downtown. Pastor Gideon Ape is not surprised. He says dozens of people from all over the country have reached out about stolen phones since last August. So often he reported it to the police who came up empty.

We started getting people walking up to the church like they're pounding on the doors. Okay, my phone is here, my phone is here. The pastor let them inside the church, walking them through the pews. The phones weren't here. Just to be crystal clear, Pastor Gideon, when you are not giving your sermon in front of a congregation, you are not collecting stolen frogs, are you? No, absolutely not. Not at all. Baker's phone's exact location was difficult to pin down, clearly not in the church and more likely in a nearby building,

making its way through something of a black market pipeline. And even though Baker had used Apple security features to lock the phone, the hardware was still valuable. That's probably why it ended up in the last place it pinged. Hong Kong. We build these devices that are just so valuable that we just wave around, like, you know, just literally shaking around gold bricks in the air. Andrew Huang is a hardware engineer and often visits this market in Shenzhen, China, not that far from Hong Kong, where he says the sale of cell phone parts does big business.

You'll see bags, like just kilogram bags of cameras just sitting there and you'll see like a pile of like 100 screens sitting on the table. A long journey for a phone that was stolen in Charlotte, North Carolina. And a vivid reminder that on a night out. How about also don't keep your phone in your back pocket? Oh yeah. That was, I was going to get to that one too. Yeah. Don't put your phone in your back pocket. Oh yeah, I was gonna get to that one too. Yeah, don't put your phone in your back pocket. As many friends lovingly reminded me that night.

And Stephanie joins us in studio first. Fascinating look at what happens to these phones. But law enforcement, they have an idea why there's an uptick? Yeah, an FBI special agent says it is easier than ever to sell a stolen phone on the black market. Tom, a phone in a thief's hand is essentially cash, they say. All right, Stephanie Goss, for us, we thank you.

And you can read much more about this story on NBCNews.com. All right, up next on the broadcast, the global heat wave from the US to fire NATOs abroad, plus crying foul when a baseball hit a fire department truck. Well, they fired back with a giant blast of water. That's next. All right, we're back now with the heat wave gripping much of this country and Europe. Take a look. It feels like 100 degrees or a lot hotter for 70 million Americans across the country today.

And across the Atlantic, it's unseasonably warm as well. Look at this fire NATO ripping through a forest in Turkey. This is Europe battles an intense wildfire season. Greece temporarily closing its iconic Acropolis again today due to those high temps. Okay, back here at home in Maryland, a college baseball team was forced to cancel a game because of this, what you see right here. Their field was flooded by the fire department over a fly ball.

Coaches say the ball hit a pickup truck in the fire department parking lot. What came next? A fire truck drenching the field, raining out their game. The department later apologized and put a firefighter on leave. That's Nightly News for this Tuesday. I'm Tom Yamas.

Thanks so much for watching. Tonight and always, we're here for you. Good night.