Top Story with Tom Llamas - Friday, September 1, 2023

Episode Date: September 2, 2023

Tonight's Top Story has the latest breaking news, political headlines, news from overseas and the best NBC News reporting from across the country and around the world.

Tonight, the Labor Day weekend travel rush in full swing with 95 million Americans set to hit the road and skies over the next few days. TSA says they plan to screen 14 million people at U.S. airports through Tuesday, capping off a busy summer in the skies that was also met with several close calls between airplanes, including another one just today, a Delta flight forced to divert a landing at the last minute in D.C. But while Labor Day may be the unofficial end of summer, dangerous heat is. is expected in parts of the country, with some cities in the Dakota's bracing for triple-digit temperatures and rip currents could pose a risk to beachgoers along the east coast. Bill Cairns will have the details. Clean-up underway in Florida after Hurricane Adalia leveled homes and businesses along the state's big bend. President Biden expected to visit the area this weekend, but now another emergency brewing. FEMA warning, it only has enough disaster relief funding

for a few more weeks. So what does that mean for residents? impacted by Adolfi. Disturbing video out of Ohio, police body cam footage showing an officer fatally shooting a pregnant woman who was accused of shoplifting after her car moved forward. The deadly encounter unfolding in less than 30 seconds. The outrage tonight from the victim's family after that officer was placed on administrative leave. Oversees a rare show of defiance in Syria, hundreds of protesters calling for the country's president to step down. Why they say conditions there have become unlivable. Plus, the heart-stopping dash cam footage showing an officer in Washington driving through a

wildfire as flames engulfed the area around him, the moment he made it to the other side. And it has not been a cruel summer for Taylor Swift, the pop star breaking another record this time with her heiress tour movie, just how many tickets she sold in 24 hours. Top story starts right now. Good evening. I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom Yamis, and we begin with the travel rush this Labor Day weekend. Americans preparing to mark the unofficial end of summer. Here's a live look at a packed Grand Central Parkway here in New York. Similar scenes playing out on highways across the United States with today expected to be the busiest travel day of the long weekend. And here's a look at some of the numbers.

95 million Americans set to travel over the next few days. Domestic bookings on everything from hotels to cruises, they're up 4% from last Labor Day weekend. And international travel, that is up a whopping 44% from this time last year. That means many people are flying. TSA says they are planning to screen 14 million travelers through Tuesday. For those of us staying in the U.S., AAA says Seattle is the top destination this Labor Day weekend, thanks to booming demand for Alaska cruises. popular U.S. cities include Anchorage, Orlando, New York, and Las Vegas. But do not forget

to pack sunscreen because sweltering heat, that's going to settle in this weekend over most of the country, triple digits expected in the upper Midwest. Bill Cairns will have more on that in just a moment. We begin tonight with Emily Aketa. The last big getaway of the summer is here, capping off a record-breaking season for air travel marred by a series of close calls. The latest coming today at Reagan National Air Base. report. When an air traffic controller canceled a Delta flight's landing because another aircraft was still taking off from the same runway. The FAA now investigating. We've seen a noticeable increase in serious close calls and the only acceptable number of these is zero. Though

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also pointing out, passengers are facing fewer cancellations than earlier this summer and last year when air travel was bogged down by bad weather, air traffic delays and staffing shortages. The cancellation rate so far in 2023 is at 1.6%, which is a full percentage point better than last year. TSA screened a record 227.5 million passengers since Memorial Day weekend, and airports are bracing for another 14 million over the next few days. I have never seen a line at an airport this long, literally in my entire life. From flights to hotels, rental cars and cruises, bookings are up within the U.S. and abroad,

with a stunning $95 million criss-crossing the country. The rush driving backlogs around major cities and this deadly tractor trailer crash on I-81 in Maryland. Then we're actually going to go back on Sunday so we're not dealing with the Monday traffic. Avoiding long lines in this blockbuster summer of travel. Emily Aketa joins us now from Newark Liberty International Airport. I want to go back to those close cause. Have officials said anything about why we seem to be seeing more of those? Well, the Transportation Secretary addressed this earlier today,

and he said there's not a single issue leading to the increase, and he does acknowledge increase in close calls in this very busy travel season. He says there's been issues with pilots, with ground crews, with air traffic control. So as a result, they're doing a number of things looking to improve those numbers, including investing in designs to prevent the number, or reduce rather, the number of runway crossings, also looking at how technology could potentially help Ellison. And Emily, you mentioned in your report there, the passenger so far seemed to be avoiding the travel nightmares we saw earlier in the year, or airlines doing anything differently to handle this

weekend's rush? Yeah, Ellison. Well, for starters, this is the first summer that we've seen almost all. of the major airlines in the U.S. offer vouchers or compensation for when travelers experience significant disruptions, delays, cancellations. That is a result of an airline. The airline is at fault in those cases. They're also looking, the federal agencies are also looking into, interestingly, to make sure that space launches don't overlap with really busy travel weekends, like what we're seeing right now to help clear the airspace. But I'll end on a positive note, Ellison. You'll see

how busy the airport is behind the bustling passengers. There are some 50,000 flights scheduled for today, but you look at the latest numbers. Just over 100 of them have been canceled, Ellison. We will take that. Emily Ikeda at a busy Newark Liberty International Airport. Thank you. We appreciate it. And summer travel, it is not the only thing heating up this Labor Day weekend. Temperatures across the country threatening to hit record highs as a holiday heat wave is set to scorch millions. So let's get right to NBC meteorologist Bill Karens, who joins me now in studio. Bill, you have just had a week of weather after weather after weather. Thank you for being here. Tell us what are you watching tonight?

Yeah, flash flooding. I mean, we have beautiful weather in like 95% of the country, but that does not include the southwest. I mean, Las Vegas is under a flash flood warning. They just had a really strong thunderstorm go through. And then areas in between Palm Springs and Yuma, it's just pouring. So let's take a look at the radar. You can notice all the flashes here. These are all thunderstorms. This is common this time. It's what we call the monsoonal flow coming out of Mexico, and it's just pouring. It's ahead of the Vegas, and you can see that thunderstorm that went through, went right through, especially the west side of town.

That is gone now, so any water out there that's flowing should be dropping soon and getting returning back to normal, especially the airport, too. So the heat will be the story this weekend. Some areas are going to be almost as hot as they were at the peak of summer. I mean, so many people look forward to September being a little bit cooler, a little bit nicer. That's not the case this weekend. It is. Get to the Lake Pool Beach, if you can.

Minneapolis, 95, Rapid City is going to be 100. record highs. Then we take another day, Sunday. Milwaukee heats up, Des Moines, Minneapolis. Then the heat begins to slide into the east. I mean, it may be one of the hottest weeks of the summer in Washington, D.C. 96 Monday, 96 Tuesday, 93 Wednesday. And it's not a dry heat. It's going to be humid and gross, too. So just prepare for that. And try to get near the water to enjoy it. So as far as the weekend goes, we're beautiful weather, much of the eastern half of the country on Saturday. Not many problems on Sunday, a little bit of rain. And then, And finally, as we end our Labor Day weekend, a lot of people traveling back should be just fine.

I give this maybe like a B-plus or an A-minus green. Oh, we will take that. Bill Cairns, thank you. We appreciate it. Now we turn to the latest on the recovery from Hurricane Idalia. In the days after, that devastating storm communities now returning to pick up the pieces of their destroyed homes. Maggie Vespa has the latest. Tonight, along Florida's utterly decimated coastline.

A Herculean cleanup is underway. In Horseshoe Beach, four generations sift through the rubble of Cynthia Votro's home. We knew we were coming in to nothing, but seeing it in person. It was just beyond comprehension. Now more than 48 hours after Adalia made landfall Wednesday as a historic and deadly Category 3 hurricane, President Biden vowing to visit Florida's hard hit Big Bend region tomorrow. But tonight, the president is facing a staggering new problem in his mission to help hurricane victims here. Simply put, FEMA is running out of money.

Amid a year of extreme weather from historic flooding in California to devastating tornadoes in the Midwest, FEMA warning it's down to $3.4 billion in disaster relief funds, enough for a few more weeks. The agency prioritizing immediate needs for victims of Idalia and last month's Maui wildfires. President Biden pleading with Congress for an extra $16 billion. We're going to need a whole hell of a lot more money. We need to do it in September. We can't wait. Meanwhile, in Florida, local first responders go door to door offering help while the state delivers trailers to those who lost everything.

I trust our senators and congressmen hopefully to be able to be able to work it out in a good way. You know, my as governor, I'm going to be pulling whatever levers I can to be able to help folks. People here praying Washington comes through, including 10-year-old Luke Clampett, who spent the day clearing his grandmas' destroyed home. If you could tell the president anything, what would you say? Help us clean up this place and help us try to rebuild. Maggie Vespa joins us now from Horseshoe Beach, Florida. So, Maggie, you mentioned President Biden is set to visit the area tomorrow. What do we expect from that visit?

What will he see? Sure. He'll see scenes like this, right? I mean, this is the worst of the devastation. We're in Horseshoe Beach, Florida. He's expected to kind of view that devastation like this firsthand. We don't know which community the president's going to go to. But new tonight, we did just hear from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that the two of them will not be meeting tomorrow. DeSantis saying that's basically because of security concerns in these rural decimated towns. But that is a new detail on that visit, Ellison. Maggie Vespa in Florida. Thank you. We move now to the new body camera video showing the fatal police shooting of a pregnant black. woman. Police say she was accused of shoplifting and had started to drive her car forward when confronted by officers. Her family now calling the shooting a criminal act. Miguel Almaguer has the video and a warning. The images are disturbing. Hey, out of the car. Out of the car. The deadly shooting unfolded roughly 24 seconds after police near Columbus, Ohio, first ordered to Kaya Young out of her car.

Get out of the car. Then get out. As two officers approached the pregnant shoplifting suspect in a supermarket parking lot, Young refused their repeated commands. Out of the car. They said your sole stuff do not leave. Get out of the car. The officer in front of the car drawing his weapon, then firing a single fatal shot.

Just fired. After the vehicle appears to move forward. Stop the car. Stop! Young was taken to a hospital where she later died. The Blenden Township Police Chief says his officers were assisting on another call when grocery store employees told them Young had shoplifted. Despite being ordered to get out of the car more than a dozen times, she refused to do so.

The woman put the car in gear and accelerated forward. But Young's family attorney says the 21-year-old pregnant mother of two was gunned. down in a criminal act. You see Takaya turn her wheel before the car even begins to move. So it shows there was not an intent on Takaya's part to hurt this officer. Officers are not allowed to use deadly force because a suspect did not comply, especially one that is not armed. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is conducting their own independent probe.

The officer who fired the single shot last week was placed on administrative leave. A fatal encounter outside a grocery store as investigators work to determine who's to blame. Miguel Almaguerre, NBC News. Miguel, thank you. And for more on this story, I want to bring in former Miami Police Chief George Colina. Chief Colina, thank you for being with us. I want to show some of this video again just so we could make sure that we are talking about what we've seen, but we want to be careful with it and not show it too often.

But as we're watching this video together here, you see at the start of this. this video, officers approaching, having some sort of conversation with her. When you are watching this, see that officer there pulling out, we know he was giving commands, he pulled out his weapon, it appeared to be pulled out fairly quickly here. How are officers trained to approach a running car? You had one on the side there and then one go around to the front. Why would an officer do that? Is that trained? That's not following proper procedure protocol. So the backup officer's job is to absolutely go to the passenger side, right? So the first officer is going to engage the driver, be able to communicate, give commands, make eye contact, etc. The second officer should go

around to the other side so he can look in the car and make sure that there's no danger there that someone's going to reach for a weapon, et cetera. That is what is pretty universally trained to do. Go to the passenger side. You are there to support the first officer. So that's the first part that's curious, is why did you not go to the other side to back up the primary officer? The second part is that you're really not trained to get in front of a car that's running. You're always trained to try to mitigate risk and, quite frankly, danger to yourself. So there's that aspect of that, and there's also the issue of how quickly that officer in the front and also on the side drew their weapons. When are officers, police officers, typically trained to pull out a

firearm? You're going to pull out your firearm if you believe that you are in danger, an eminent threat to yourself or to someone else. What's going to be complicated here for the officer that fired is that he essentially placed himself in a vulnerable position, right? He chose to get in front of that car that's moving. Even if the driver doesn't intend to put the car into gear, that could happen, right? I'm not saying that's the case here, but that's why you wouldn't do something like

that. When you draw your weapon, there's a clear escalation. Ideally, he does not put himself in that position and they continue to communicate with the driver. She pulls her window down, right? So there's some level of communication now that's starting to happen. That was not the proper position. That officer is going to have to explain why did he place himself in front of that car. The attorney makes a good point. She is rotating the steering wheel, right? So it does not appear like her intent is to harm the officer. It appears that her intent is to try to get away from the officers. Two very different things.

You know, Chief Colina, this was all allegedly over a shoplifting accusation. Should that fact have changed the level of aggression from the officers here? I mean, as far as we know, no one reported that Takaya was violent or armed. Today, many chain stores are told not to even call police over shoplifting. Should this have ever been dealt with in this manner when allegedly it was what seems like a fairly small amount of shoplifting if it happened at all. Ideally, no, that's not the way that it's handled, and it's not a Monday morning quarterback, right, or use clarity of hindsight.

But ideally, you're telling that person, listen, you need to step out of the car. We're going to be able to work this out, right? Let's find a solution to what's happened here to kind of give them that out of, okay, this isn't the worst thing in the world that's happened that the police has, you know, found me out if she did, in fact, shoplift. So the fact that you're raising your voice, there's a second officer, you're yelling commands, you pulled your weapon, that typically isn't going to end well. Ideally, they would have said, step out of the vehicle.

And quite frankly, if she chooses to not step out of the vehicle and to drive away, record the tag, get behind her, activate your emergency equipment, hope she then pulls over. But certainly, you don't want to put yourself in harm the officer. And you certainly don't want to escalate that to where someone could be harmed on what is a property crime. I'm not minimizing the theft. I'm just saying that you're the one with the training and you're the one that has to make the proper decisions. All right. Former Miami Police Chief George Colina, thank you for being with us.

We appreciate your insight and analysis. Now to the urgent manhunt underway for a convicted murderer in Pennsylvania, police searching for the escaped inmate who they say is extremely dangerous. as questions grow over how he managed to break loose in the first place. Gabe Gutierrez has more. Tonight, an urgent manhunt is underway for a convicted murderer who's on the run. Police stayed a 34-year-old Danilo Cavalcante somehow escaped Thursday from Pennsylvania's Chester County Prison about 30 miles west of Philadelphia.

This man is very dangerous. If you see him, don't approach him and call 911. In 2021, the five-foot-tall Cavalcante stabbed his former girlfriend more than 30 times, killing her in front of her children. A jury took just 15 minutes to convict him, and last week, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Investigators say he's also wanted for a 2017 homicide in Brazil. It's not clear how he escaped. We have no evidence at this time to suggest that he had help from anyone. Investigators think he's still in the area and are scouring woods and cornfields. hundreds of officers with long guns, drones, dogs, and helicopters on the move.

Just driving up and down the street right here thinking he could be in the woods anywhere. So, you know, not knowing if he's hiding somewhere, waiting until dark to come out, I have no idea. Nearby schools on alert. Everyone was just trying to like contact us and see what's going on and like just can't believe this is going on. Police believe Cavalcante could be trying to head south to Mexico. And tonight there's a new $10,000 reward for information. leading to his capture.

Gabe Gutierrez, NBC News. Next to Texas, where a new law went into effect today, blocking gender-affirming care for minors in the state. The legislation drawing protests throughout the summer and causing some families to leave that state entirely. NBC's Noah Pransky has the latest. Texas, now the largest state to block gender-affirming care for transgender children. The law going into effect today,

after months of protests against it. Children need to be protected and allowed to develop into the gender they were born with. The bill would prevent transgender minors from accessing hormone therapy and puberty blockers. The bill also bans transition surgeries for anyone under 18, though medical experts say those are rarely performed on children. This law only seeks to prohibit treatments only for transgender youth with gender dysphoria, while allowing. allowing the exact same medical care, including puberty blockers and hormones, to be prescribed to any other minor for any other reason or medical diagnosis. Some families feeling forced to flee their home state because of the law.

We are political refugees in our own country. The Ray family moved from Texas to Maryland to get better care for their trans-son Leon. Mother Camille testifying on behalf of trans children in Texas. Access to age-appropriate treatment for transgender youth is an immediate issue for my family. The Lone Star State is one of more than 20 that have passed bans on gender affirming care according to the human rights campaign. 17 of those have now taken effect, four others are on hold pending court injunctions, and seven more state legislatures are considering bans of their own. For Republicans, transgender rights have become a major issue on the campaign trail.

In Florida, it's very clear, we think that that is mutilation, we think that that is wrong. I've supported measures in my home state and around the country that would simply be. ban a gender transition treatment for young people. While President Biden and Democrats have denounced the bans. You do belong. And I want you to know that as your president, all of us on this stage, have your back. With nearly half of U.S. states having now passed such legislation, researchers estimate about 150,000 trans children are without access to the care that major medical organizations recommend.

A political debate with real world. implications. Noah Pransky joins us now in studio. Noah, we have heard a lot of politicians talk about this legislation, but what do medical associations actually have to say about it? There is far less debate there. A lot of consensus, actually, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, they all say that this kind of treatment is beneficial for kids suffering and diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The consensus is that it can address mental health, it can help save lives. According to the Trevor Project, and transgender and non-binary kids are twice as likely as their

cisgender peers to take their own lives. Noah Pransky, thank you for bringing us that important report. We appreciate it. Still ahead tonight, a wild end to a police chase in Florida, a car fleeing from officers slamming into another car and then flipping over what the teen suspects inside that car were accused of. Plus, a dash camera rolling as a Washington deputy

drove through a wildfire. Flames getting closer and closer to his car his reaction when he finally made it out alive. And 85,000 boon high chairs are being recalled. They've already led to nearly a dozen injuries. What parents of young children need to know. Stay with us. We're back now with heart-stopping video of a fiery escape out of Washington State.

New body cam footage shows an officer barely making it out of an intense firestorm. He was helping to evacuate the area as the wildfire was spreading earlier this month. Our Kathy Park has the amazing story of survival. Go, go, go, go, go. That's the voice of Deputy Britton Morgan. Moments before body camera footage shows him barreling down a hellscape, he'll never forget. Morgan determined to survive as he's surrounded by a wildfire growing out of control. It's as close to hell as I think you can get here on it.

Just outside of Elk, Washington, the Oregon Road fire prompted evacuation orders on August 18th. Morgan was called in that day to help get local residents out of harm's way. I feel for these people. They're losing everything. Actively, in front of them, they're losing everything. And there's nothing they can do to stop it. But after pleading with one person trying to salvage what he could, do you have a right at least? Deputy Morgan quickly finds himself an imminent danger as the winds begin to shift.

My whole mind was just get out of here. and then try and get everybody else out of here, too. He rushes back to his patrol car. 13, come back down in that road now. It's coming our way. Making last minute pleas with others to get out as the flames moved closer. It's headed right for us, man. I was just there. Still facing resistance, he issues this warning for those staying behind. Unless you want to die.

He then has no choice but to save himself and heads off into thick smoke, following the overhead lights of his partner's car. It was like opening up like a. oven door. He recalls feeling the intense heat as a flame spread on the street to the trees appearing to be on the verge of collapsing. I don't want to die in this. I think I might die here and I was like, well, if I'm going to go out, I'm not going to go easy. Then the smoke finally thins out as he narrowly escapes the inferno. That was hairy. Also surviving through the firestorm, the resident he saw moments earlier who managed to escape too. Thank you, bro. I was so worried

about you? Are you okay? I don't think there's anything I could have said in that moment to make that man feel better, but that doesn't mean I can't try. In many ways, it goes beyond description. Sheriff John Knowles was also in the fire zone, helping with the evacuations. He has no doubt that the actions of first responders and law enforcement save lives. We can't train that. We can't teach it. It's part of who they are. A day on the job pushing them to the limit, with every harrowing moment caught on camera. Kathy Park, NBC News. When we come back, Taylor Swift continues to break records with her era's tour.

A movie of the concert now smashing the record for single-day ticket sales, and its release is still over a month away. The movie her fans knocked out of the top spot next. back now with Top Story's news feed, and we begin with an update on the story we first brought you last night. Police have charged five Georgia teenagers with criminal trespassing after they allegedly played a ding-dong ditch prank on the home of William Cole. As we reported, Cole is also charged in the case after investigators say he chased down the teens and choked one of them. A dramatic end to a police chase caught on camera in Florida. Surveillance video shows the moment a car

slams into another vehicle in Fort Lauderdale, causing it to flip over. Officials say the four teenage suspects inside the car were wanted in connection to a kidnapping and were attempting to flee. They were all taken into custody and then taken to the hospital. The other driver also taken to the hospital, no word yet on their condition. A consumer alert tonight, 85,000 Boone High Chairs have been recalled. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says a bolt can come loose, causing the chair to fall. So far nearly a dozen injuries have been reported. The recalled chairs include old Boon Flair

Elite High Chairs and any Boon Flair High Chairs manufactured before September 2016. The products were sold at major retailers, including Amazon and Target. And Taylor Swift-era's tour breaking yet another record. AMC says ticket sales for her upcoming concert film reached $26 million in just 24 hours, setting a new record for single-day ticket sales and smashing the record previously held by Spider-Man No Way Home. An AMC says the previous record of $16.9 million was broken in just three hours, three hours. IMAX has already sold out more than 250 screenings. The movie doesn't even drop until October 13th. Now to politics and the renewed health concerns for Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell,

after a scary moment earlier this week when he froze for, more than 30 seconds while taking questions from reporters. As NBC's Ali Vitale explained, some in his own party are now questioning whether or not he's fit to serve. Tonight, Republicans taking on their own. The Senate is the most privileged nursing home in the country. I mean, you know, Mitch McConnell has done some great things, and he deserves credit, but you have to know when to leave.

That's scathing new shot from presidential contender Nikki Haley after Senator Mitch McConnell froze for more than 30 seconds Wednesday. an event in Kentucky. All right, I'm sorry, you all, we're going to need a minute. It's the second time that's happened in two months. The Capitol physician saying McConnell is medically clear to work and that moments like these are not uncommon in concussion recovery, which the 81-year-old sustained after a fall back in March.

Senate Republicans largely rallying behind their leaders. And so is President Biden. He was his old self on the telephone. Age now back in the spotlight at a time when voters are already concerned about it. 77% of Americans, including 69% of Democrats, think President Biden is too old to effectively serve as president. A smaller number, 51% of Americans, have aged concerns about Republican frontrunner, former President Trump. Meanwhile, some Democrats have called on 90-year-old California Senator Diane Feinstein to resign after moments of apparent confusion, like this. colleagues telling her when to vote.

Yeah, just say aye. Okay, just. Aye. Feinstein's spokesperson said she was preoccupied at the time. And Ali Vitale joins us now from Capitol Hill. Allie Minority Leader McConnell has previously said, pledged rather, that he will finish serving out his Senate term leading the Republicans through the 2024 election. Does this second incident make things harder for Republicans politically at all?

Well, it certainly makes it harder. for McConnell politically, and he's going to have some explaining to do when he gets back into town next week alongside the other senators in his caucus. We know that they've been supportive of him to this point, but at the same time, there is an urging for more transparency from the leader as he clearly is having more of these episodes, creating a pattern that his colleagues are at least wondering about, even as they head into this busy period where they're going to want to have a lot of confidence in McConnell to best represent the interest of Senate Republicans in the upcoming deal to fund the government.

Alison. Allie Vitale on Capitol Hill. Thank you. Coming up, a rare scene out of Syria, a massive crowd of protesters calling for the country's president to step down. The economic crisis there that has pushed residents to a breaking point.

We're back now with a string of protest in Syria amid a crippling economic crisis in that country. Demonstrators demanding an end to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, a ruthless dictator known for violent crackdowns against his own people. Tonight, hundreds are speaking out in defiance and demanding their freedom. Tonight in Syria, a rare show of defiance against a brutal regime.

Hundreds taking to the streets calling for the ouster of the country's president, Bashar al-Assad. The weeks-long demonstrations ignited by the government's recent fuel subsidy cuts, which sent gas prices soaring. But experts say tempers had been simmering over Syria's growing economic crisis and Assad's ruthless dictatorship. Inflation in Syria is rampant. More than 90% of Syrians live in poverty. So far, human rights groups has at least 57 people had been arrested in the recent demonstrations. Earlier this month, Assad told our partners that Sky News that his people are not the ones who want him out.

There weren't any internal demands for the president's departure from power, Assad says. But these protesters say different. Hey, Bashar, they chant, we don't want you. A bold display against a dictator known for exacting vengeance against those who oppose him. The recent wave of protests drawing comparisons to the 2011 uprisings in the wake of the Arab Spring. Assad's forces cracked down on those demonstrations, leaving more than a hundred people dead. The unrest then exploded into a full-scale civil war that rages on today. The conflict has left entire cities in ruins and killed at least 300,000 civilians.

Now, once again, the call for freedom from the Syrian people is rising. For more on the protest in Syria and what they might mean for the Assad regime, I want to bring in Hagar Shemali, a former spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the United Nations and the former Syria and Lebanon director at the National Security Council during the first two years of the Syria crisis. Agar, thank you so much for being here. This is obviously not the first time President Bashar al-Assad has faced protest in his own country. He has almost lost power a couple of different times since the 2011 uprisings and subsequent civil war. What, if anything, makes these protests different? I'm going to be very honest with you. I have not totally seen the movement that is required to push for his ouster.

And that's not to say that I'm not hopeful. It's not to say that I am not on the side of the Syrian protesters. I definitely am. I used to say at the White House that it was not a question of if, but when, President Assad would fall. The problem is that you need these protests to be more massive. They need to be across the country. They need to remain peaceful. And most importantly, one of the most important ingredients is that you need the backing of the international community. And unfortunately, you don't really have that because we are coming off the heels of the Arab leaders of a number

of Arab countries, reinstating diplomatic ties with the Syrian government, reopening their embassies in Damascus, and welcoming Syria's President Assad back into meetings, like the forums at the Arab League. And so this is going to be a problem. What I'll be interested in seeing is if these really keep up, if the pace keeps up, and if they grow. Because the one thing that is different is the fact that this is kind of like round two,

or it could be round two, and there's an opportunity to do this in perhaps a more peaceful, successful way. OK, you mentioned something that I wanted to ask you about the fact that Syria did rejoin the Arab League, because it was after they'd been isolated for more than a decade, Assad gets this incredibly warm welcome at the Block Summit back in May. There's kind of a side discussion to be had as to why that happened in part. There's been talk that some of the members

in the Gulf State were hoping that he would do more to help them deal with the flow of an amphetamine-type drug Capagon that is mass produced in Syria. And maybe that was why they were kind of taking this step. If these protests continue, do you think we could see members of the Arab League pause and maybe reconsider the fact that they've just so recently welcomed them back in? No, I think the only thing that would make them possibly change their mind again is two things. First, that if the Syrian government responds to these protests with indiscriminate violence, as they did the first time, then that's one thing that should help make them change their mind and take their decision back. And then the second would be lobbying by the United States

and other governments. That is what happened last time. I was leading that effort from the White House side to push European governments to join us in pushing the Arab League to withdraw, to rescind their citizenship, sorry, their membership of the Arab League and to suspend it. And that is what they did. But they did it based on pressure and because he was just too ugly. The reason they accepted him back is likely a mix of factors. In one hand, it was that they saw things not really moving forward. They didn't find that if he were to fall or leave or stay, that anything would change. So they viewed him as somebody that maybe they could work with. If you ask me, I bet that there's also investment desires there,

that the Gulf countries would like to invest to rebuild parts of Syria or Damascus. And so they had that interest as well. So all of that is at stake. In order for this to happen, you needed to go down this path where there's use of violence, repression, detentions of innocent protesters. And if they see that and they see the international community

speak very loudly about this, it'll help. But short of that, I don't think. much will change. Are you surprised that we haven't seen Assad and his forces go in and violently stop these protests? I mean, we're on day 11 right now. We know that some protesters have been arrested, but so far from human rights groups, observers in that region, we haven't heard reports of any sort of mass violence against the protesters. Is that surprising to you? Because that is historically Assad's MO. That's right. I'm not entirely surprised only because the protests remain relatively small and relatively geographically targeted. If they become a real genuine threat

to the regime, meaning you start to see widespread protests, they start to take shape across the country, you start to see calls beyond just Syrian protesters by other governments around the world saying, hey, you know what? Yeah, this is our chance that President Assad has finally got to go. Once they feel that it's a threat is when I would expect them to respond with violence. the protests that started in 2011, they did use violence. They did use detention right away. But the policy, where it appeared that there was a policy to use mass indiscriminate violence was really about six weeks into the whole thing. So there is still a little bit of time there to see how the Syrian government is going to respond. Oh gosh, Mali. Thank you. We appreciate

it. Turning now to Top Stories, Global Watch and Outrage in Central Italy after a man shot and killed an endangered brown bear. New video shows the bear and her two. Cubs roaming through a town about 78 miles outside of Rome a week before the shooting. Residents say the bears, which come from a nearby national park, are known to the area. However, local media reports a man shot the bear after saying it came onto his property. Both Cubs are missing. And in the UK, thousands of Harry Potter fans gathering to celebrate a special day. Thousands of them in costumes taking over the Kings Cross railway station in London to commemorate

the annual quote, back to Hogwarts Day. September 1st marks the day in the popular series when Potter and his famous friends all returned to Hogwarts for the new academic year. When we come back, a look at what to watch and listen to this weekend. The Wheel of Time, it's backed for season two, plus where to find the entire Jaws franchise

over the unofficial last weekend of summer and new music from Nikki Minaj. We are back now with binge-worthy. Our look at the best things to watch and listen to this week. weekend. Joining us tonight is entertainment journalists and pop culture expert Brian Balthasar, apparently from Max Headroom Studio, which is an 80s reference that I hope everyone is Googling right now. Brian, I'm good to see you. From the Mars Rover or Epcot Center. No, this is my home

studio. Well, Brian Balthazar. We love it. Okay, so let's just jump right in, my friend, because we have a series on Amazon Prime back for season two, right? The Wheel of of time. It is set in a fantasy world. Let's take a look. Together we face the impossible. But now in our separate corners of the world. Protecting Rand, guiding him, that is the only thing that matters. You can't control him. You know you have something inside you.

Something that calls for blood. I want to know how to control it. It's an impressive cast, Brian. What do you make of it? Yeah, you saw Rosamine Pike there. I mean, this is epic. This is based on a very popular series of novels. There were 14 of them,

and across those novels, there were more than 2,000 characters, kind of along the lines of the Lord of the Rings, very mythical. It involves a village where a mysterious and powerful woman emerges and says that one of you may be the child of a prophecy. It's really about good and evil. And in 2021, when the first series,

and aired. It was the most popular season on Prime. So this stands to do pretty well. Okay. So next we have a live-action series. This one is based on a popular manga series. It's called One Piece. It's on Netflix. Look. Why would anyone want to be a pirate? Which is the best thing there is? Winding your back. Salt is here. Loyal crew by your side.

It's ready. What is it? Or Jolly Roger. We are. The Strawhead crew. Brian, what do you think? Okay, words almost don't describe it. You have to check out the trailer.

This looks incredible. It is, there were a thousand volumes of this anime book involving these stories. I'm sorry, a thousand episodes of the animated series and over 100 volumes of the book. And this is about a real, this particular one is about a really kind of adventurous and upy kid who's searching for treasure. But he also has this unique ability. to make his arms really stretchy, like plastic man, because of a fruit he ate as a child. Just to get on board, the effects are incredible. I think it looks fun.

All right. Maybe I will add it. I'm a little more sold. I'm a little sold now. Okay, so let's move to another one that is also on Netflix. This one is called Live to 100 Secrets of the Blue Zone. It's fascinating because it's actually a closer look at communities around the world where people live extraordinarily, extraordinarily long lives. Look.

five places around the world called blue zones where people are living to 100 at the highest rates in the world. What is the secret to living a long time? Community, if you're depressed, you're not going to do very long. So the steepness for us is very important. Just by walking, you have an additional energy expenditure. Do we want to be dormant or do we want to serve humanity? I'll be honest, Brian. I have never wanted to live to 100, but maybe this series, will change my mind. I will say getting gold is overrated. But I will say this looks interesting because the secret to these blue zones is these people are living a long life, but also not with excessive exercise routines or incredibly crazy diets. Of course, there are some unifying traits.

Many of them still drink, but a lot of them don't eat dairy. So it's very interesting to see how they're living such robust lives and living in its age. And one of them is in the U.S., one of these cities. So it's worth of checking out. Okay, that's surprising. Interesting. Okay, so this next one, this is on Max. It is season three of the series, How to, with John Wilson. I spent a lot of time walking around New York, trying to find the answers to some of life's biggest questions. Sometimes I talk to people that I meet out in public and ask them for their advice. Other times, I'll just open up a door and see what's on the other side.

and every now and then I leave town for a couple of days and explore what other cities have to offer. But at the end of the day, I always come right back. We're just giving everybody advice, I guess, on how to live forever. What do you make of this? Well, it's so unique because it's really, there are questions answered, but they're usually odd questions like where to find a restroom. By the way, it's harder now that bookstores have all closed. But John Wilson, John Wilson, it's really about him because he's such a quirky guy with a unique thing on life.

He's met that one, you just saw this big sculpted bird, and he's studying birds in that one. But it's really about unique characters, and it always takes a weird left or right turn into some aspect of his life. And it's done for it's season three, and honestly, it was new to me, but it's really got this cult following. Okay, I like that. Let's turn to our final, what to watch. If you need to watch something this weekend, this is an oldie but a goody. the Jaws movie franchise, it is actually available now, all of them, to stream at home on Netflix. Look.

I mean, look, Brian, the sharks have been out this summer. If you haven't watched it, now feels like the time. Right. And by the way, this is the movie that got us all terrified of sharks, basically. So let's give credit where credit is due. It wasn't the shark's fault at first. But now it's just incredible to watch. And you don't actually see much of the shark in this because the effects were really rough back then.

So it's kind of fun to watch, but you guys can watch it because, no, I don't need to be scared, like, four or five, no, that's okay. A birdie in my ear has told me this was, like, one of the first blockbusters, and they thought they were failing when they were making it, and then it was a massive hit, which I didn't know. Yeah, it was expected to be a real bust, a real failure because you didn't see it up with the shark. Like, you thought, okay, where's the enemy? But that was part of the suspense and iconic song that plays that, like, just two-note riff that plays.

It's an incredible, it's an incredible story, really. Oh, my gosh. And the shark apparently didn't work in the water. That is fascinating. I'm going to go on a Google rabbit hole for Jaws after the show. Let's talk music, though, before we close this out. Because Usher, an Atlanta guy, I'm from Atlanta, love him. He has a new collaboration out with 21 Savage and Summer Walker.

It's called Good Good. Listen. I hate to beat and naked to forever. Probably ain't getting back together. But that don't mean that I can't wish you better. We ain't good, good, but we still good. I realize that I can't be your lover Let's just keep it honest with each other

I'll be happy for you when you find another We're good, we're still good Usher and Paul Rudd are like the two people in the world who do not age Right, exactly, he's still got the moves And I'll see in the movie Yeah, and if you see in the video, you'll see He still has the abs, okay, he's not going to let us forget that either

The new album comes out this fall it'll be his ninth album, and it's a great song. Yeah, it's a good one. All right. Finally, my friend, Nikki Minaj is out with a new song. I love Nikki Minaj. Brian, you know a lot about it, right? Let's take a listen to part of that, and we'll talk after. I wish I heard you tired And I saw you I wish I didn't waste precious time the night when I called you Listen

Baddest in the school, baddest in the game That is a beam me up Scotty reference from Itty Bitty Piggy Pink Friday, the iconic album That came out after You my friend, I saw you in a show earlier today I think you might owe the rap queen an apology Well, yes. Okay. First of all, you're looking at the lyric video, and there is the new video. You can see her in all her incredible beauty. Yes. This morning, on this very platform, I did say Pink Lady, but I immediately corrected her stuff on Friday. It was really, I'm not a morning person. Nikki Minaja and the barbs, of which I am one, we're watching. But the important thing to note is that this is an incredible single. She's got her Pink Friday, too. Yeah, here we go. See, look at that. I mean, when she says, I love this man, who allowed him to do this, She's talking about me.

So, okay, I'm just saying, like, today I am officially deceased. But Pink Friday, too, is coming out this fall, and it's not going to be missed. And they're watching. So, hello, Barb. I mean, they are amazing. She is amazing. She's got the domino effect. I hope I see you in the front row passing out.

That is a Pink Friday reference. I literally went to a Britney Spears concert just to see Nikki Minaj open for Britney Spears before Pink Friday came out. So, my friend, your end of the year, Spotify rap, 2023. Nikki's got to be your most streamed artist. It's all done. Or we're all coming for you. Okay. Brian Belizear, thank you for being with us.

It was a great time. Thank you. And thank you at home for watching Top Story. For Tom Yamas, I'm Ellison Barber in New York. Stay right there. More news now is on the way.