Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, July 20, 2026

Episode Date: July 21, 2026

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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Breaking news tonight, five people drowning in Ohio as we track a new tropical system in the Gulf set to slam the south. The mass drowning in a fast-moving river as a group tried to save a swimmer who went under. Out west deadly flood sending mud and debris ripping through Utah. An entire family swept away. Plus, we're tracking the storm gaining strength in the Gulf. Explosion caught on camera, a former soldier armed with multiple weapons pouring gas outside an ice office in New York City. igniting a massive blaze using a firework and then firing a rifle. What we're learning about the suspect.

New video of Iranian strikes hitting an air base in Jordan as we learn the identities of the American service members killed. President Trump vowing revenge. Gas prices soaring above $4 again. How much higher could they go? The controversial social media stars arrested in Miami, the new allegations the Tate brothers are facing. Dramatic moments in Texas, a small plane. crash landing on a home look at this, the pilot surviving. Plus, the short, fast-paced shows taking over social media why microdramas you can watch

on your phone are going global with the help of AI. And the new guidance about coffee, how many cups do doctors think you should drink? The answer might surprise you. Top story starts right now. And good evening. We are tracking several breaking weather stories unfolding right now, a tropical depression gaining strength, set to slam into the Gulf Coast, severe weather taking hold across the country, and authorities confirming a devastating mass drowning that's happened in Ohio. Five people killed there

near Columbus after they were swept away in a fast-moving river. Authorities say some of them had jumped into help a struggling swimmer, a child having to flag down help on the side of the road. Neighborhoods near Cincinnati seen a number of water rescues after storms brought punishing torrential rain. In Utah, raging floodwaters, Picking up furniture, mud, and debris, taking over entire neighborhoods. You see these images. And the severe weather, they're killing eight people, including a local firefighter and four members of his family that were swept away in a flash flood. And in New York, flash floods bringing the city to a standstill this weekend.

Look at that. Downpour's leaving drivers stranded, forcing some water rescues, and now the northeast bracing for another round. And then there's that tropical system that we are now watching. It's churning off the Gulf Coast of Florida. If it strength is into a tropical storm, it will be named Bertha. Bill Cairns is standing by with the timing and the track. We're going to talk to him about this one. We want to start tonight with Maggie Vespa on the dangerous weather across the country.

A punishing string of severe summer weather ramping up across the U.S. Authorities in Ohio now confirming a mass drowning involving a family, a child forced to flag drivers for help. Police near Columbus say one swimmer started struggling. then others jumped into help. Two women and three men drowning, according to the associated press. Immediately, fire departments, emergency medical, police departments respond to the scene to try to assist in the rescue.

In other parts of Ohio, water rescues had been stacking up by the dozen. Many saved from their cars. I had my three-year-old son in the back. I had to get out and get him, walk around and pull him out of the water. The water was about up to my waist by the time I got out. Farther west, jaw-dropping new video shows a river of mud and debris tearing through Beaver, Utah. Reletless flash flooding now prompting evacuations. Authorities now saying at least eight people died in floodwaters there, including Provo Firefighter, Captain Spencer Long, his wife and three sons, who authorities say had been hiking when the water overtook them. Days of violent storms wreaking havoc across the country as some areas brace for even more severe weather.

Okay, and with that, Maggie joins us now live from Chicago. Maggie, we've been tracking that really toxic air all of last week because of the Canadian wildfires. What's the update tonight? Well, Tom, you can see it's still lingering on the skyline here covering the Chicago skyline behind me. Our air quality tonight still lingering in those unhealthy levels too, so it's definitely not safe to be outside for a long period of time. And keep in mind, this is the same toxic haze that's been hanging over this skyline and this city and several other cities for the better part of a week now. now. Tom. All right, Maggie, best before us. Maggie, thank you for that. I want to get right over to NBC News meteorologist Bill Caron, who's tracking the severe weather threat tonight, as well

as that system, brewing the Gulf. So, Bill, let's start. I guess we're going to start with the tropical storm system there. It may be called Bertha. Walk us through what you think's going to happen here. Yeah, as we get into the hurricane season, we get storms in the Gulf, it gets our attention, and we're like, uh-oh, because we've had huge storms in the Gulf. But remember, this is an El Niño year, dry air, wind shear, the things that go against these things, the storms from getting stronger and bigger. So that's why this one is struggling. And we thought maybe it would become birther during the day today. Now it looks like it will be tonight into tomorrow. And it's going to be moving fast enough that we don't have to worry about flooding either because even a tropical

depression or a tropical storm can lead to really heavy rainfall rates. So the storm is going to go south of Panama City. It looks like it's going to go near Mobile, head into Louisiana. And once it does that, then we have land interactions. That means it's going to be even weaker. Notice these max winds, no problem whatsoever. More of an inconvenience than anything else. Of course, we have to worry about rip currents. And if we do get any isolated tornadoes with the thunderstorms, Tom, that's the things we'll be watching. Okay. And then we're also tracking some severe weather just for tonight. We're talking tornadoes and other things that are happening in the Midwest and the Northeast. Yeah, so tomorrow's in the Northeast. Tonight we're watching Wisconsin in areas of Michigan.

We have two tornado watches, one in Iowa and also now a severe thunderstorm watch in Illinois. We did have some wind damage in Iowa. But how about this? Two tornado warning, super cells in the upper peninsula of Michigan. These are areas that we usually talk about in winter about like amazing snow totals off the lakes. But these could be producing tornadoes. We'll have to wait and see how we go through the rest of the evening with these. But earlier, this was up by Ewing, still an active tornado near Brampport and just north of Gladstone. There was a little hook on it. That's kind of disappeared a little bit. Tomorrow when we deal with the severe weather, it'll be sliding through just like on Saturday, the northeast and portions of the Ohio

Valley. If you have air travel tomorrow in the northeast, it's going to be very, very difficult. hundreds of flight cancellations, thousands of delays. We're going to have two lines of storms going through. One is going to be as we go throughout the morning. And then the second one with the cold front later in the afternoon, maybe even some isolated tornadoes in the Mid-Atlantic, too, Tom. So one of those summer days in the northeast and mid-Atlantic where travel is going to be very difficult.

Yeah, another wild weekend weather. Okay, Bill, we thank you for that. Here in New York, we've been tracking this really crazy scene caught on camera. A former soldier dousing the entrance of an ice office building with gasoline and the and somehow lighting it on fire with a firework while also shooting a rifle. NBC's Emily Aketa has been tracking this one for us. Tonight, a federal investigation into this terrifying scene in New York City. Video from witnesses showing a man pouring a liquid outside of federal building home to an immigration and customs office,

igniting a massive blaze. Actually, witnesses said it was definitely a lot. Investigators say the suspect ignited an apparent bundle of fireworks, fired in a fireworks, fired, an airsoft rifle and lit this fire in an incident that injured three people this morning. You can see him lobbying something towards the entrance before he is tackled. Other angles show a scuffle with officers, some with weapons drawn emerging from the smoky entrance, then escorting the suspect in all black and handcuffed away. The FBI identifying the suspect as 43-year-old Andrew Arabaqa. He did say he was targeting the building and he was okay if he

hurt or killed people going in and out of the building. Are you investigating this as a possible act of terrorism? We're collecting the evidence and we know there were anti-government and anti-American statements made. Investigators in hazmat suits now combing through the aftermath. Recovering, the FBI says, axes, a machete, knives, and a cart with a sign reading ice off our streets as tensions have flared near ice facilities nationwide. Investigator say the suspect is a U.S. Army veteran who has had several encounters with law enforcement, but nothing to this degree. Charges are still being determined. Tom.

Emily Akita for us. Emily, thank you. We're also following rapid escalations in the war with Iran. President Trump promising the regime will pay for the deaths of American service members as the U.S. launches a new round of strikes tonight. Kier Simmons reports from Jordan the site of one of those deadly Iranian attacks. Tonight's President Trump vowing revenge after the deaths of 25-year-old. First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan from Hawaii and 19-year-old private Isabella Gonzalez

from Texas. Flags were at half staff today in Hawaii. Iranian state media saying these satellite images show destruction at the base where they were serving. It says aircraft and 20 shelters housing U.S. service members were hit. Video from the base over the weekend shows missiles intercepted and explosions. An alert is heard. It's not clear whether these are the fatal attacks.

But tonight, U.S. Central Command says it is examining the remains of a third person. And in northern Iraq, after Iranian strikes there, Sencom announcing a separate American fatality during the controlled detonation of an Iranian drone. Sencom calling this swift punishment against Iran, while President Trump posting, every time Iran kills an American soldier, they will pay for that killing many times over. We hit him very hard again tonight. And we did that in honor of the probably three. Iran unrelenting, sending another barrage to Jordan tonight, unnerving its capital city.

Air raid sirens across Amman. It means missiles and drones are coming. And that's the all clear. Tonight, a senior administration official says the war has reached a time of ambiguity as talks are continuing. They continue to send signals that they want to talk, but their behavior, is what we're responding to. Keir Simmons joins us tonight from Amman Jordan live, along with NBC's Courtney Kuby, who's covering the Pentagon from D.C.

And retired Colonel Steve Warren, a former top spokesperson at the Pentagon, and an NBC News military analyst who's been leading a lot of our coverage from Iran. Keir, I want to start with you. Talk about what it's like on the ground in Jordan there right now because of those deadly attacks by Iran. Yeah, it's anxious. It's as anxious as it is in many other of Iran's neighbors.

Kuwait, for example, we saw pictures today of people in the hospital after those attacks on water plants. I mean, people get on with their lives, of course, but those sirens, those air raid sirens that you heard in my report there, Tom, of course it's unnerving. The governments will tell you that most of these missiles and drones are being intercepted, and I think that that is correct, that is probably true. But this is expanding. So for example, just today, we are learning about the potential for the Houthis in Yemen to be targeting a completely different waterway, the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb.

So this is escalating and expanding in ways that have people worried here on the ground and also many of the leaders in this region. And then, Colonel, explain to our viewers, right, because people are going to be watching this. Maybe they haven't been following the day-to-day activities with this conflict with Iran. What's the state of play Iran right now, right? Because this is this, I mean, is it a war because we don't have ground troops in there? And how long can this sort of drone strategy work? Yeah. So I think this is, you know, an escalation clearly, and we've talked about that. I think the Iranians have a fairly large number of capabilities, number of missiles remaining. We heard President Trump tell our own Kristen Welker several weeks ago that he thought the Iranians had lost about 70 to 80 percent of their capabilities. We've seen other very credible reporting that indicates they've only lost about 20 or 30 percent of their capabilities. So the Iranians can still fight. Where are we in all this? Well, this is an example, I think, of miscalculations that are skidding out of control. The Iranians miscalculated when they began to strike commercial shipping. The United States, I think we may have miscalculated how hard they would

strike back after we punish them. So we are in this sort of ambiguous state. It's not a full-blown war, but it's certainly not a ceasefire either. Yeah. Well, then, Courtney, you know, there were those polymarket bets with the odds rising on the betting platform for for a U.S. invasion of Iran in 2027. We're seeing this back and forth. You know, we're still in the middle of summer here, right? But as the colonel was talking about, how much longer can we go with these drone attacks? I mean, is this essentially going to escalate at some point that maybe the president never envisioned?

Yeah, the polymarket thing, I mean, look, there have been times or those have been able to sort of predict what's going to happen. But 2027 invasion doesn't really make any sense as things are right now. Now, we have seen the U.S. and Iran trade strikes every single day. 10 consecutive days of this with extensive strikes by both sides here. We could see that just continue until maybe there's some sort of an additional agreement, a diplomatic agreement, a ceasefire, whatever it is. But for now, there's no sign that that's letting up. Now, we know that boots on the ground or some sort of a U.S. military invasion of Iran is something that the military has been planning for and has been prepared for. But the reality, Tom,

is I am not hearing any indication that that's one of the options that the president is very seriously considering right now, whereas individuals we're speaking to are pretty confident that the strikes that we've been seeing are not going to let up anytime soon. And then, Courtney, while you're here, I know you have new reporting on what exactly those service members were doing in Jordan. Yeah, it was kind of surprising this morning when the Pentagon put out the announcement about these two individuals. You can see them there on screen who had been killed in the attack on Friday by an Iranian ballistic

missile. They were assigned to Operation Inherent Resolve. Now, that's the counter-IS mission. It's the U.S. and a number of coalition partners who have been working on this combined joint task force for years now to not only to defeat, but then to hold back ISIS from ever being able to reconstitute throughout the region. Now, we spoke with a number of officials today about that, and they said, yes, they were actually assigned to Operation Inherent Resolve, but they both were part of different Army

Air and Missile Defense units, one, in fact, not even from the same unit in the same country. and they were there as trying to help defend the base against incoming Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. So despite the fact that they were assigned to a counter-ISIS mission, they were there and they were having to defend against Iranian drones and missiles for the past several months. Yeah, a lot of different missions now for our troops in that region. Kyr, European commercial shipping companies report tankers

have been attacked in the street of from you. So what's the latest in that critical waterway? Yeah, we have news now of other tankers being structured. including a Saudi-related tanker, and that, again, just goes to my point about the potential for this to escalate and to expand. Certainly, there is no indication that that waterway is open. And, you know, Tom, we can just remind people, and I don't think it's ever a waste to remind people that this all began this war

with an effort to tackle Iran's nuclear program and to come to the aid of protesters in. in Iran, tens of thousands who were killed during those demonstrations. Yesterday we got news that two more protesters have been executed in Iran. So what they once in previous wars called mission creep could be applied to this. And it does, to Courtney's point, Tom, and I think it is sobering, it does appear to be heading towards potentially a war of attrition, a slow, kind of traditional, difficult conflict. in which each side really struggles to win, but struggles to give up. Tom?

Yeah, Keir Simmons for us tonight. Courtney Kuby and Colonel Steve Warren, always great to have you guys here on Top Story. Thank you. The war with Iran, of course, driving up the cost of oil. Average gas price is now topping $4 a gallon. NBC's Christine Romans is at a gas station in New Jersey, and Christine Americans were seeing some relief at the pump, but that was short-lived. Hey, Tom, that's right, the national average back above $4 a gallon. 13 cents in just a week and more than a dollar higher than it was before the war with Iran began.

What's happening here? The escalation with Iran means fewer ships are passing through the Strait of Hormuz. We've told you about this vital waterway where before the war, about 20% of global oil passed through. When oil prices rise because of less supply, well, oil prices are the main ingredient for gasoline prices. You have gas prices now back up the highest they've been since mid-June. We've had the U.S. government that has been releasing emergency supplies for some time now since about the middle of March. A record amount of oil coming out of America's emergency stockpile. It's meant to keep gas and oil prices from rising too quickly. But that supply, that strategic petroleum reserve, has now been drained to the lowest amount now since 1983.

That could take some wiggle room away in the weeks and months ahead. So what are experts telling us? Expect gas prices to continue to rise as long as the fighting continues. And of course, that means higher prices for you during the busy summer travel season. Tom? All right. Christine Romans, that is right for all those people watching. We appreciate it.

Now to an update on the lettuce recall connected to the severe stomach illness that is sick in thousands of people across the country. You may have heard the news over the weekend, which was a little confusing of a a false positive test. NBC's Ann Thompson joins us now to clear all of this up. And so what happened with that false positive and where does that lettuce recall stand right now? Okay, so Tom, the first thing to know is the recall is still on. That hasn't changed. Here's the story of the false positive. So as a part of their precautions as lettuce comes across the border, remember the lettuce in question came from Mexico. FDA officials tested a sample of lettuce.

that was not involved in the recall, but did come from Taylor Farms. Initially, they said it tested positive. And because we have this cyclospora outbreak going on, they put it out there. Then on Sunday, they walked it back because they tested it again and realized they had gotten a false positive. That is what has caused all the confusion. But the recall hasn't changed. In fact, it has now this voluntary recall by Taylor Farms. has expanded to 27 states. It involves shredded iceberg lettuce. And the advice is, if you have it,

throw it out and don't eat it. Oh, okay. That is good advice. And before we go, people at home, right, they're watching all of this. Are we still sort of in that zone and that time frame where we should be really careful with the produce, washing it more than we would usually and maybe staying away from lettuce? Yeah, they say, so the officials say that May through August is basically what they call cyclospora season. And that's basically because the produce that we love in the summer, like lettuce, is coming to our stores. And so if you have any kind of fresh produce, the best advice first is to wash it and wash it thoroughly. And then secondly, is to cook it because that's the only way to kill the cyclospora. No vinegar wash, no chemical wash will kill it. You've got to cook it and you have to cook it to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit. Tom.

Okay, Ann Thompson, on this lettuce beat for a while now, and we thank you. We're going to be back in a moment with the disturbing new allegations against the Tate brothers. The controversial influencers now behind bars in Miami, but will they be extradited overseas? Plus the home invasion targeting another NFL star, Sey Juan Barkley and his family inside where it happened, the search for suspects tonight. And the tourist attacked by a bison at Yellowstone now speaking out from his hospital bed with a shattered hip. What he says was going through his mind during that terrifying encounter. Stay with us. We're back now with the controversial social media influencers in court today. Andrew and Tristan Tate were arrested this weekend in Miami because of new accusations they're facing in the UK.

Now the process is underway to decide whether they should be extradited. Jesse Kirsch was in court and has more. Tonight, Andrew and Tristan Tate are behind bars in Miami, waiting for their possible extradition to the U.K. Tristan, anything to say? U.S. Marshals arresting the controversial social media influencers in Florida this weekend, as prosecutors in the United Kingdom announced a slew of new charges, including for rape. Their first reaction to the allegations is the first reaction that any innocent man or woman would have. It's garbage.

The brother's attorney speaking today outside Miami federal court. where the brothers appeared before a judge in beige and brown prison clothes shackled at the wrists and ankles as the extradition process begins. We are, of course, objecting to extradition because Andrew and Tristan are innocent. They've never done nothing wrong. They shouldn't be extradited for crimes they did not commit. The new U.K. charges are in addition to allegations the brothers are already facing there and in Romania. We've yet to be convicted of any crime in our lives ever. The Tate brothers gained notoriety for their prominent association with the Manosphere.

a hyper-masculine and anti-feminist social media movement widely considered to be misogynistic. You know, women don't have the clue how business works. The brothers were temporarily barred from leaving Romania. Then last year, the dual American and British nationals returned to the U.S. This weekend, they were on their way to a bare-knuckle boxing event when they were arrested. Come over here by me. Let's go. The U.K.'s Crown Prosecution Services, the new charges stemmed from incidents involving four victims.

The incidents allegedly occurring between 2010 and 2017. I want to make it clear there is no place for male violence against women and girls in our society, and we will continue to work tirelessly to support victims and investigate all reports made to us. Jesse Kirste joins us now live from Miami. Jesse, you were inside the courtroom today. The lawyers for the Tate say they will fight extradition, but they could have an uphill battle ahead of them. Explain. At the end of the day, Tom, this could come down to if the Tate's, can get the Trump administration on their side.

First, the State Department says a U.S. judge will determine if the extradition would be law under both U.S. law and an American treaty with the U.K. in this specific case. But ultimately, the decision rests with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He gives the final sign-off on if someone should be extradited from the United States, which means even if the Tate brothers fail in the justice system, they might be a final sign-off. able to find a political solution. Tom. Okay, Jesse Kirsch for us. Next to the latest on a home invasion targeting one of the NFL's biggest stars. Authorities searching for the suspect who broke into Saquan Barkley's home while he and his family were inside. NBC's Morgan Chesky has more.

Tonight a growing search for suspects after a frightening home invasion near Philadelphia for NFL star Saquan Barkley. Police sharing the Philadelphia Eagles running back and his family were inside when intruder struck early Saturday. before officers could arrive. Obviously a little unsettled as anybody would be, but no one was harmed. Authorities say it does not appear anything was taken from the home and are now searching for this white SUV, which may have been used by the suspects. We know there's more than one, but we're still trying to determine how many were involved. Barkley's close call comes after a string of high-profile burglaries. I had a home invasion, and they took most of my prize possessions. This 2024,

footage shows thieves at NBA player Bobby Portis' home, stealing a championship ring, multiple watches, and jewelry valued at more than a million dollars. Thieves breaking into the homes of multiple athletes that year, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tied in Travis Kelsey, stealing more than $2 million worth of cash, jewelry, and memorabilia. It's frustrating. It's disappointing, but I mean, I can't get into too many of the details. Authorities arresting the suspects in those robberies, all Chilean nationals earlier this year, on charges that could carry time in federal prison. And tonight investigators say that it's still too early to tie this Berkeley break into those overseas crime rings, but stress the investigation is ongoing. Tom. Morgan, thank you. Coming up on Top Story, a small plane crashing into a home almost landing into the backyard pool, how the pilot's doing tonight.

And some good news for coffee drinkers, the new research out today that might have you reaching for. for another cup. But first, Top Story's top moment in the wedding day surprise for one family. Bride McKinnon thought her brother wouldn't be able to be at her ceremony because he was serving overseas in the military. But when it was her dog's cue to bring the rings down the aisle, he had a surprise at the end of the leash. Take a look. I'm going to have Peanut to come forward and bring the rings. Congratulations to McKinnon and her new husband, Brandon. What a special moment there and, of course, for the dog.

Stay with us. More top story on the way. We're back now with the new twist in the race to replace the late Senator Lindsey Graham. Graham's sister Darlene announcing she will run to serve a full six-year term after stepping into fill in the seat for the rest of the current term, which ends in January. The move comes at the urging of President Trump, who posted on truth social that he had asked Darlene for the good of our nation to run for the U.S. Senate in the special Republican primary. I want to get right to our good friend NBC's Melanie's Anona, who joins us from Capitol Hill.

Melanie, there are multiple candidates who have already launched campaigns. How does Senator Darlene Graham stack up? So first, let me start by saying this is a bit of a surprise because Darlene Graham initially was only supposed to serve as a sort of placeholder. And she also has no real experience in politics. She's never been elected to office before. her really her only experience has been cutting ads for her brother during his campaigns. And so it's kind of hard to really gauge her politics and her policies and her positions.

But what I will say is that she does have a long track record of public service. She has worked for a number of state programs that help people who are blind and have other disabilities, gain employment. And she also, of course, as you mentioned, has the backing of President Trump. She's also starting to line up endorsements from key Republicans. She's also going to have pretty strong name ID, of course, in the state of South Carolina. She will be a formidable candidate, but it's still going to be competitive because those other candidates, like Congressman Russell Frye, Congressman Ralph Norman and businessman Mark Lynch, they're all staying in the race so far. And then Darlene Graham has the support of President Trump, so is he the kingmaker here? Well, his endorsement, of course, is very important, Tom, but it's not a silver bullet.

I would point out, actually, that Trump actually just endorsed in the governor's race in South Carolina, initially endorsing lieutenant governor, Pam, Avette. and she wound up coming in second in the primary runoff, although Trump sort of did a dual endorsement at the end there when it looked like Alan Wilson was going to prevail as he ultimately did. So it's important to have a Trump endorsement. It's always better than not, but it can't be the only thing that Darlene Graham relies on

to get her over the finish line. She's going to have to run her own race here. Talk to us a little bit about this race, so the Democrats have a chance at all for the South Carolina Senate seat? I mean, Democrats have their candidate selected for November. That's Annie Andrews. She's a pediatrician.

She's making health care and affordability a central focus of her campaign. But the reality is a Democrat has not won statewide in South Carolina in several decades. And so that is why this Republican primary is so, so important. It's happening on a condensed timeline. And whoever wins, Tom, is heavily favored to win in November. So important. Just got so interesting, right? Okay, Melanie, great to see you.

We thank you for that. In Mississippi today, an outpouring of grief at the funeral of Nolan Wells, the college football player who died under mysterious circumstances. And now there's a new reward partly funded by a major celebrity. Aaron Gilchrest is there. An emotional gathering of hundreds to celebrate the short life of Nolan Wells, including his high school friends, college football teammates and celebrities like Spike Lee. Nolan's mother holding tight to his memory.

Hold him close in your hearts, share his stories and never stop saying. saying his name. Nolan's death remains mysterious after he and friends took a boat trip to Horn Island, Mississippi on July 4th. His mother reported him missing hours after his friends returned without him. His body found on July 6th. For an 18-year-old young man to no longer be with us, we want answers. Reverend Al Sharpton offering a $100,000 reward saying Tyler Perry, who paid for the funeral,

will cover half for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case. case, his eulogy laying bare lingering questions about Nolan's case. We cannot say it was racist, but we cannot say it was not racist. So let's not judge either way until all the evidence is in. The family's attorney asking again for photos and videos from Horn Island. He has not turned over Nolan's cell phone to law enforcement, but says they still plan to analyze it together. We have not established a time yet of when we're.

We're going to do the mutual inspection of the cell phone. The family's attorney, Ben Crum says his pathologist has run into some limitations because of when he received Nolan's body. But he does expect to have the autopsy results very soon. Tom? Okay, Aaron Gilcrest for us. Not at Top Story's News Feed, we start with President Trump announcing new 50% tariffs on most goods from Canada. The White House accuses the country of unfairly discriminating against American exports like cars, alcohol, and cheese. but critics warned the move could spark higher inflation and create even deeper tension between the two nations.

The tariffs are set to take effect in 30 days. And Paramount's takeover of Warner Brothers' discovery hitting a major roadblock, a federal judge issuing a restraining order that pauses the proposed merger for at least two weeks. It comes after a dozen states sued to block the $110 billion deal claiming it would crush competition in Hollywood. Paramount has pushed back saying the lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law.

And a dramatic plane takeoff caught on camera. Look at this. Video shows the air cargo jet skating across the runway, sending sparks flying as its tail struck the tarmac. The FAA says the incident happened during a go-around at Cincinnati's airport yesterday and that the flight landed safely.

And wild video out of Texas, a small plane crashing into a home just outside of Houston. Look at this. One of its wings hung up on the roof. The other almost landing in the backyard pool. Officials say the pilot was taken to the hospital but is expected to be okay. unclear how they lost control,

and no word yet on whether anyone inside that home was hurt. Not a new reporting about a change in the way ICE-involved confrontations will be investigated. Instead of being handled by the FBI, an internal memo saying that cases will now be deferred to ICE's investigative arm. The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have denied any changes in a statement to NBC News, saying in part the FBI will continue to investigate in accordance with the agency policy. This coming days after two deadly shootings involving ICE officers happened back to back in Maine and Houston. So for more on this to explain some of the confusion, I want to bring in our Homeland Security correspondent Julia Ainslie. Julia, good to see you. Both agencies are denying this, right? So why is there such a discrepancy between what the agency is saying and what the agents on the ground are hearing and the reporting that's out there?

Well, it's interesting, Tom, and their full statement, they say that the FBI will continue to investigate when officers are assaulted. That's very different from what's a question here, particularly following those two fatal shootings in Maine and Houston, when reporters are asking about who will continue to investigate when ICE is involved with not just a fatal shooting, but with assault. If those officers are accused of that or if there's any kind of footage of that and there are questions at hand. What's also unusual is the fact that, and this is according to our reporting, that according to a memo that went out last week, it's not a longer FBI, but it's Homeland Security investigations, that investigative arm of ICE. That's incredibly unusual because Homeland Security Investigations is usually used for things like white-collar crimes or international drug trafficking, counterfeiting money, anything that has a nexus to U.S. borders, but often is international, very large-scale crimes. And so they would be pulling from those resources to do these investigations.

And it also leaves in question what the role of the Inspector General will be. The DHS Inspector General has been leading the investigations into the shootings in Maine and Houston. And then has anyone from the Trump administration publicly responded to this reporting yet? Well, it's interesting. We did hear from Tom Homan today at the White House. He's the borders are. And he said that, look, they would, that these officers are under attack and that there is no change in the policy. But he also pointed to the fact that they needed body cameras.

That seems to be his solution right now. It's very interesting because, of course, the Biden administration started a body camera pilot program that they wanted to expand. And then when President Trump came into office in January of 2025, he ended that program. Now Tom Homan is saying that this is the answer that the American people need to see what ICE officers are seeing when they decide to fire their weapons. We understand that these body-worn cameras are going out to all of ICE's field offices, and they should be arriving and in place within the next two months, Tom. Okay, Julia Angelie for us tonight, Julia, thank you. Tonight we are hearing for the first time from the man who was rammed by that by-the-class. in Yellowstone, you'll remember, the 65-year-old recounting the moment he was launched into the air

and the instant he realized he was the bison's target. Here's Camilla Bernal. The 65-year-old man tossed into the air by a charging Yellowstone bison is now speaking out about the encounter. They move faster than you could ever imagine. He just kept coming and he was more aggressive. And as soon as he got off that tree, he launched me in the air. Bozeman Health releasing this video where from his hospital bed, Carl McDaniel says he and his grandson were on a walk after dinner. We saw the bison and he was down. He wasn't showing aggression or anything like that until it picked a target.

That target happened to be me. McDaniel says he was trying to protect his grandson who was unharmed before the bison charged at him. I didn't get bruises from him launching me in the air. It was the landing that came the problem. McDaniel is recovering from a fractured hip. His doctor showing just how severe the damage was. It was definitely clear that he had a pretty painful injury. It's actually broken in multiple pieces, and you can see some fragments here.

But despite those injuries, I always felt safe and secure. I wasn't ever terrified. Looking back, McDaniel says he knows just how lucky he was. Even though I was on the ground, he could have stomped me, he could have gored me, could have done anything. And we've also talked to witnesses who were terrified to watch this and told us, that after the incident, several people stayed with McDaniel until first responders arrived. McDaniel also said that he was 1,500 miles from home and that it was after midnight by the time he made it to the hospital, but said that things went smoothly. Tom?

All right, Camila, thank you for that. Still to come tonight, a new prime minister taking office in the UK, why they call him the king of the north, and what he said to President Trump in their first phone call, Ralph Sanchez standing by. Plus, the man who just sprinted his way to the fastest, in the world, the incredible feat, and his time, which you won't believe, right after this. Welcome back. We're going to head overseas now to the UK, where today Andy Burnham was officially appointed Prime Minister after Keir Starrmer resigned. The Labor leader is the country's seventh leader in just a decade, and his first hours in office, as customary, he spoke with President Trump on the phone. NBC's Ralph Sanchez has been following this from London.

So, Raf, what can you tell us about this new prime minister? What do our viewers need to know? and his rise to 10 Downing Street. So Tom Andy Burnham's nickname is the King of the North, the reference that Game of Thrones fans might get. That is because before becoming Prime Minister, he was the mayor of Manchester, big city, up in the north of England. And he presents himself as a politician being from outside the London Beltway, if you will, a little more down-to-earth, a little more authentic.

He likes wearing T-shirts instead of suits, although he was dressed up today to meet King Charles at Buckingham Palace as he formally became Prime Minister. When he delivered his first speech, outside Downing Street, he spoke without any notes, without any teleprompters. And he said he is acutely aware that he is the seventh Prime Minister the UK has had in just 10 years. This has been a decade of political chaos.

And British voters are tired of it. He understands that they want him to get on with the job. But he is inheriting a sluggish economy here at home in Britain and a pretty chaotic situation on the world stage. Let's pick up with the relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. We mentioned President Trump spoke to the Prime Minister over the phone, and we're getting a read out of that call. What do we know about how Burnham plans to deal with the president, especially during this time when there is tension because of the war in Iran and what the president sees as sort of, I don't know if you call them a traitor, but he sees them as a country that wasn't loyal to the U.S. when they started bombing Iran. Yeah, absolutely.

The president was very, very critical of Kier-Starmer, Burnham's predecessor. He said he wants to have a good relationship with the United States, but he is prepared to stand up to President Trump if he needs to. He's been quite critical of the president in the past, about January 6th and other things, although he's toned that down recently. From what we can tell, this call seems to have gone pretty smoothly. They started on a safe topic. Burnham congratulating the president on the success of the World Cup. Burnham is a huge soccer fan. Burnham's saying that the UK remains very committed to Ukraine.

The UK has wanted the United States to stay with the Ukrainians, something that President Trump has been sort of back and forth about. And he said that Britain wants to play a constructive role in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, getting oil flowing again, although they will not get involved in the fighting with Iran. It's not clear when these two men are going to meet. One possibility is during the UN General Assembly in New York in September. Another is when the U.S. hosts the G20 down in Miami just before Christmas. Raph Sanchez with a really great primer there for all our viewers here in America.

Raff, we thank you for that. OK, time now for Top Stories Global Watch and check up what else is happening around the world. We're going to start with that devastating earthquake in the Andes region of Peru. You can see buildings collapsed as rescue teams dig through the rubble, searching for survivors. Authorities say at least six people were killed and more than 30 others have been hurt. Hundreds have been forced from their homes, but right now it is still unclear exactly how many people are missing. In India, clashes between police and protesters as crowds march towards the country's parliament. Law enforcement using tear gas and batons after they say some demonstrators tried to get past security barricades.

The protesters part of the so-called cockroach movement. It's a youth-led campaign that's calling for the education minister to resign and demanding more widespread reforms. A record-breaking run in the UK, 28-year-old Josh Kerr, now the fastest man ever to run a mile. The British Olympian did it in a track being in London. sprinting to the finish line in just three minutes and 42 seconds. That's nearly a second faster than the previous world record set back in 1999. All right, time now for Top Stories Health Check and important news for coffee drinkers. New research from the American Heart Association suggests drinking up to five cups of coffee a day.

You heard me right, five cups, is not only healthy but could actually lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even stroke. So joining us now to break down these findings. NBC News Medical contributor and a good friend of Top Story, Dr. Natalie Azar. Dr. Azar, always great to see you. This sounds somewhat counterintuitive, right? We know coffee can make the heart race. Walk us through how this can be good for the heart and the body.

I know if I have five cups of coffee, I'm going to be tweaking all day. So explain this one to us. Yeah, I know. I feel like it makes more maybe common sense that if it could potentially raise your blood pressure, that could be something that's dangerous for our heart health. But in fact, Tom, this is just more research that adds to quite a wealth of research that drinking coffee is not only potentially not dangerous for you, but also helpful. And this wasn't one study this was done. This was sort of a meta-analysis, if you will, a review of available studies. And in fact, what they did show was that that amount of coffee consumption, three to five, eight-ounce cups of coffee a day, was linked to

as you mentioned, lower rates of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, certain arrhythmias. And in fact, a randomized control trial even showed that caffeine consumption was not associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, which is, of course, one of the arrhythmias that we worry about the most. Do you need the three to five cups or will one cup a day give you the benefits as well? So that's an excellent question. And here is how I always like to describe it. It's kind of like a Goldilocks number. Too little coffee, not necessarily good for you. And when we say coffee and caffeine, we're sort of using those interchangeably because most studies are done on coffee consumption. It raises the question of whether or not it's the caffeine as opposed to the coffee.

Coffee we know has a lot of bioactive compounds that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. So too little coffee or caffeine consumption is not good for you. Too much is also not good for you. And I think a take home for viewers is, you know, we say three to five cups and eight ounces and what does that really mean? You know, your standard brewed, filtered cup of coffee will contain anywhere from about nine to 20 milligrams of caffeine per ounce. That's how you get to that number of that maximum around 400 milligrams is kind of like the ceiling, that sweet spot that you don't want to go too far above. If you keep those numbers in mind, it's good for your heart. it's good for everything else. Before we go, I mean, does it matter?

You mentioned filtered sort of that drip coffee. Does it matter if you do espresso versus kind of the American filtered coffee? Yeah, so, I mean, we say sort of that standard American filtered cup of coffee, because I think people are very familiar with that. Espresso can pack the same amount of caffeine just in a much smaller volume. And another thing to add here, too, experts don't know what, how much of a mitigating, effect, adding sugar or flavors or cream to your coffee. When we're talking about the health benefits of coffee, I'm sorry to say that they're usually referring to black coffee. Obviously,

if you put cream in your coffee, you're still getting the caffeine. You're still getting the elements in the coffee itself, but you're adding a lot of sugar and calories. So that's not necessarily good for you. All right, Dr. Azar, so great to have you on Top Story. Thank you for all that info there. When we come back, they're just minutes long. They're made in China, but they're taking over the internet, why micro dramas are suddenly flooding social media feeds. What exactly are they and how AI is fueling the frenzy? Janice McEyfraer will show us. That's next. Finally tonight, it's the short-form TV taking over screens.

They're called microdramas, quick, fast-paced series that you can watch on a phone. They're very popular in China and have millions of fans in the U.S. Our Janus Mackeyfrae went behind the scenes of the billion-dollar industry to find out how AI is changing the game. Think drama on demand, with episodes lasting minutes on platforms built for the scroll. Why do I get the feelings of my TV? Micro dramas or Duanju, our short-form video series made to be watched on a phone. With rapid twists and over-the-top storylines, they've become addictive viewing in China. Like love triangles and secret lives.

It's true. And here, wait! or an assistant who transforms into a kitten. Wait, I can't go with them. These snack size videos are part of a $14 billion juggernaut in China. And just as binge-worthy in the U.S., where, according to e-marketer, audiences will triple to 45 million viewers per month by 2028. Here, the vertical industry has its own booming ecosystem of studio factories like this.

Catering to pre-a-factories like this. production with an assembly line of ready-made sets. It's not just the plot twists that are moving fast, so is production, with crews able to move between time periods and transport people to different scenes all under one route. Meaning crews can shoot dozens of episodes in a single day. But earlier this year, a new player entered the picture and started to change everything. artificial intelligence is transforming how micro dramas are now being written, produced, even performed.

Tens of thousands of AI-only titles are being added to platforms every month. People who watch minidrama, actually, they can easily change to watch AI a minidrama. And they don't care. They don't make the distinction between real people and AI characters. Most of them, they don't care. With AI filmmakers who used to hire a person, they don't care. production crew can now create an entire series on a computer. In AI, if you want to have a sunny day, it's going to be a sunny day.

If you want to rain outside, it's going to rain outside. You create the character, you create the locations, you control everything. Right. Yeah, as long as you have the image in your head. If AI generated actors like Tilly Norwood point to entertainment's future, China's micro-drama industry is showing how quickly it's unfolding. in Zhengzhou, considered the vertical filming capital here, studios built inside office towers and shopping malls, often with government subsidies, are now doing less.

Wu Hong Bing says compared to last year, his studio business is down nearly 70% because AI is cheaper than using human actors in real locations. We're a bit worried, he says, but not panicking yet. American actor Anina Net was in China for a few years of the micro-drama boom. Suddenly now, boom, everything is AI. Everybody's sitting home. Everybody is thinking, how is this going to go forward? It's not to say that AI has completely erased the need for live action here.

Actor Leo Young says his work is picking up. I think as long as phones exist, things like short videos will always have an audience, he said. Like a micro-drama itself, AI could be delivering the industry's biggest plot twist yet. unfolding in real time, its ending still unwritten. All right, I wonder if micro newscasts are next. Our thanks to Janice for that one. And we thank you for watching Top Story tonight. I'm Tom Yamerson, New York.

Stay right there. More news on the way.