Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, July 3, 2023

Episode Date: July 4, 2023

Severe weather strikes across the country as travelers plan to return home from Fourth of July celebrations later this week. A shooting at a Maryland block party leaves at least two dead and dozens injured. A 25-year-old man is discovered alive in Texas eight years after he went missing. Ron DeSantis faces backlash for sharing an anti-LGBTQ video. And a Los Angeles hospital is caring for ten sets of newborn twins at the same time.

Tonight, 46 million Americans under alert as yet another round of severe storms take aim. Blinding rain, destructive winds and suffocating heat, taking hold from the southwest up through the northeast. Tarrantial rain triggering dangerous flash flooding in Chicago, leaving cars underwater. Tens of thousands of flights delayed heading into the 4th of July, triple-digit temperatures reported out west, with growing fears tonight that firework displays could spark wildfires. your full holiday forecast straight ahead. Mass-shooting manhunt police in Maryland urgently searching for multiple suspects after two people were killed and 28 others shot at a block party in Baltimore. Most of them, teenagers. The weapons police say they were

covered at the scene. Deadly violence escalates Israel launching its biggest assault on the West Bank in 20 years. Drones destroying residential buildings as soldiers raid the disputed territory on foot. At least eight Palestinians killed what we're hearing from the White House about the growing conflict tonight. A mid-air disaster in Colombia, a video capturing the moment two Air Force planes collided. One of them bursting into flames, what the pilots were doing at the time of the fatal collision. Plus, a terrifying scene in Wisconsin roller coaster riders stranded upside down for more than three hours, how they finally were able to get down. And a stunning discovery in Texas, a teen who vanished while walking his dogs in 2015, found alive, where he was spotted after more than eight years and what we're hearing from his family. Top story starts right now.

Good evening. I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom Yamis. We begin top story tonight with the severe weather threat gripping the nation at the start of this holiday week. Tarrantial rain and winds gusting up to 60 miles an hour. leaving a trail of destruction across the south and the Midwest. The flooded streets of Chicago swallowing cars as water levels rapidly rose on Sunday. The city forced to reverse the flow of the Chicago River, sending water into Lake Michigan to try and stop the surge. Strong winds, downing trees and power lines in Missouri, two people killed by falling branches near St. Louis, tens of thousands still without power. The threat of destructive storms continuing through the night, New York, D.C. and Atlanta. All in the risk zone.

On top of that, 33 million Americans are under extreme heat alerts at this hour, setting up a scorching 4th of July holiday. All of it threatening to disrupt travel as millions of Americans look to return home later this week. We'll talk to the managing editor from The Points Guy to figure out what you need to know. But first, here's NBC's Emily Aketa on that wild weather. From sweeping thunderstorms to a crippling heat. Very hot. I feel like I'm melting hot.

Severe weather isn't taking a holiday heading into July 4th, and it's packing a punch. Wing gusts topping 60 miles an hour sweeping through Lexington, Kentucky over the weekend. Residents today facing the tangled aftermath. Hell, rain came from everywhere. So with it raining so hard, you know, you couldn't come outside. That system also peeling off the canopy of this business in Alabama and toppling trees in Missouri, killing a 33-year-old woman and 5-year-old boy near St. Louis. In Chicago, floodwaters inundating cars and pumping the brakes on NASCAR's debut in the windy city.

I believe this is the strongest downpour of rain since 1987. While in New York, torrential rain transformed roadways into waterways Sunday, prompting the urgent evacuation of more than 200 people from campgrounds and homes in Clinton County. The area recorded nearly two months of rain within 24 hours. Everything's like leveled. Roads are washed out. Looks like a war zone. Meantime, airline delays and cancellations continue to pile up with more than 28,000 flight disruption since Friday.

I am just going to stay at home and be safe. And while the record heat may be easing in parts of the South, it's intensifying elsewhere. 33 million baked in heat alerts today with Las Vegas topping a sizzling 112 degrees. We're going over to a friend's house whose home is air conditioned. The western heat waves sparking wildfire concerns this July 4th. Salt Lake City joined the growing list of cities replacing fireworks with a drone show. As weather extremes reshape July 4th celebrations coast to coast. Emily joins us now from Long Island City here in New York, where many plan to gather to watch the fireworks tomorrow.

Emily, will severe weather disrupts the fireworks where you are or in other parts across the country? Well, Alison, nearly 50 million Americans, while they are in the line of severe weather along the east coast and in the northern plains, the overall storm threat should actually take a step down in time for tomorrow nights. Fireworks displays, but it could be hit or miss here in New York, barring any severe conditions like lightning. The Macy's 4th of July fireworks should go on rain or shine. Alison. Emily Aketa in New York, thank you. For more on the extreme heat and storms, let's bring in NBC News Media,

psychologist Michelle Grossman. Michelle, what are the biggest weather concerns as we head towards the 4th of July? Hi there, Ellison. Well, it's more of the same. We've been tracking heat in place, also some really storming conditions, unusual sphere weather for this time of year. And we're tracking that once again tonight. We're looking at radar. This sort of tells the whole story. Lots of showers and storms across the area where you see those brighter colors. Those are a really heavy downpour. So we could see some flash flooding in as well in many, many spots. So this is extending from the inner mountain west, a portions of the central plains,

the southern plains, the southeast, the mid-Atlantic to the northeast. You get the idea. We have lots of rain going on tonight. And as we zoom in a little closer, we do have severe thunderstorm storm watches, severe thunderstorm warnings, warnings, meaning that the storms are happening now

or imminent. So the severe thunderstorms watches, these are through 8 o'clock, 10 o'clock, depending on where you are. But these are the yellow boxes, including New York City, D.C., Philadelphia. Those are the places we're going to watch for the chance for a strong to sphere storm.

So still, 46 million Americans at risk for some very strong storms. We could see winds gusting over 60 miles per hour, even up to 75 mile per hour winds in some spots, especially in the northern plains. That's over hurricane force winds. Damaging hail and inch in diameter or larger. A few tornadoes are possible. That threat is on the lower side, but still there. This is extending the portions of New York City, Washington, Richmond. Where you see this orange here, that's the likeliest spot also possible throughout that yellow shading as well. This is July 4th. We're still looking at the chance for severe weather. Fourteen million at risk tomorrow. Same scenario with damaging

winds, bringing down some trees. Also somehow an isolated tornado is possible. And the real estate gets a little bit larger here. So we're looking at the east coast still. The threat not quite as large as today, but still could see some scattered storms and also looking at the chance for severe weather in the middle of the country. It's all through this cold wind that's moving through some really moist air. And that's we're going to be watching over the next couple of days, including July 4th. Elson. All right, Michelle Grossman. Thank you. Next tonight with the extreme weather threatening many 4th of July celebrations. It is also causing major travel concerns and the problems for United Airlines. It's continuing. United has had over 2,000 delays this weekend

through today, which is the majority of delays we're seeing in the United States. Let's bring in Clint Henderson, managing editor for the points guy. Clint, I want to ask you first about United. Today is not considered to be a particularly heavy travel day, and we're still seeing United deal with these delays and really struggle. So what is the airline doing about it? So the real story here, right now, is recovery. So United is in recovery mode, but they still get a lot of delays and cancellations. There's multiple factors at play here, including air traffic control, shortage of staffer there.

But there's also some operational issues that United seems to be having. So this one bears watching the rest of the summer. I'm mostly worried about thunderstorms. which your forecast just pointed out, are not great even for tonight. So that's where we're really focused. I will say United has done a remarkable job of recovering, considering where they were this time almost a week ago. Yeah. When you look at United specifically, the CEO has really come under a lot of fire in recent days.

First, he was blaming the FAA for their recent issues. Then he flew on a private jet as his own airline was canceling thousands of flights. Should he have done anything differently to start? You know, United has done an offer of 30,000 miles to some of the impacted customers. I would have liked them to see them copy Southwest during their meltdown over Christmas time and have offered some real compensation to passengers, including meal vouchers beyond what they offered at the airport, reimbursement for some of the incurred fees for rental cars, for other flights, and for hotel rooms.

So I think United could be doing more here. I do appreciate that they gave a 30,000-point sort of compensation to passengers, but I really want to see the airlines do more for passengers when it comes to these kind of rolling meltdowns like we saw from United this week. Clint, you mentioned the weather that that is what you really are keeping an eye on most worried about in terms of flight disruptions. You look at some of the numbers recently on Friday. TSA reported a record number of travelers. They say they screen nearly 3 million passengers on Friday, which that is a new single-day high. So a lot of people are traveling. All these people are going to have to get home.

What should they expect as they plan to head to the airport in the coming days? So watch NBC News now. Make sure you're keeping a really close eye on the forecast. Track your flights. If you see thunderstorms on the horizon, figuratively or literally, you should be calling your airline to see if you can find an alternate a flight, go a day before, go a day after. There are things you can do to mitigate. Try to travel when you book future travel. Try to book those first in the morning flights. You're least likely to be delayed on those. I have a 6 a.m. flight tomorrow. I'm hoping because of that storms, but try to take

that first flight of the day. And then if you get caught up in these massive delays and cancellations, you want to keep receipts for everything. You want to try to fight your case to the airline and say, hey, you got to hook me up. I had to spend X amount of dollars. What can you do for me? But you really have to be your own best advocate these days because the airlines are not always going to be gracious. And if it's weather-related, which they call almost anything weather-related, they can deny your claims. So you've really got to fight for your rights here. All right. So fly early, keep receipts, fight for your rights as a consumer. Good advice. Clint Henderson, thank you so much. We appreciate it.

Now of the latest in that mass shooting in Maryland, gunfire, breaking out at a Baltimore block party, over the weekend, killing two people and injuring dozens more. The desperate search for suspects now underway. George Solis has the latest. Tonight, the search for suspects intensifies in Baltimore, Maryland, after gunfire erupted over the weekend at an annual block party. We do know there were multiple weapons and multiple casings that were recovered. Claiming the lives of 18-year-old Alia Gonzalez and 20-year-old Kylus Figbemi,

28 others were wounded by gunfire. Half of them teenagers, according to police. We won't stop until we find those responsible and hold them accountable. We won't. She just kept screaming. Laquel Nelson says she rushed two young women who had been wounded to the hospital. I have children, you know, and I would have wanted somebody to do that for my child if she was in dire need like that. Authorities say the event takes place around the same time each year, despite a lack of permits and is usually well patrolled.

But some in the community say there weren't as many officers present this year. Was staffing of police also at play here, why there may not have been adequate protection at this event? No, staffing was not an issue. We knew it was coming up at some point, but we had no indication that it was happening that day. A $28,000 award now on the table for information. This is our longest-standing public health challenge, and we need to focus on gun violence, regardless of where it happens. George Solis joins us now from Baltimore. George, can you give us the latest on the manhunt for suspects? Do police have any names or descriptions for who they're trying to find?

Yeah, right now they are still looking for suspects and a motive. They say there may have been multiple shooters now after recovering multiple shell casings at the scene. asking the public, anyone in the community that may have video or any type of information to come forward to help find the person or people responsible for this mass shooting, Allison. And in terms of the other people who were injured, any updates on their conditions? Yeah, authorities today saying there are still seven people in the hospital for them in critical condition. A lot of people in this community still heartbroken and outraged by the violence that descended in their community. Thank you. George Salis in Baltimore. Thank you. We head overseas now to the deadly Israeli military operation in the West Bank, the largest of its kind in nearly two decades. At least eight Palestinians killed in a raid in the city of Janine, where Israel says Palestinian militants are gathering weapons and plotting attacks. But tonight, Palestinians saying the raids are only making the violence worse. Raf Sanchez has the latest.

Tonight, heavily armed Israeli troops storming into a building, exchanging fire with Palestinian gunmen, part of a massive Israeli military operation in the Palestinian city of Jemina. Earlier, Israel using armored bulldozers to clear away hidden bombs and calling in drone strikes in the occupied West Bank. At least nine Palestinians killed in the fighting, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The city's hospitals flooded with the wounded. It's like we're in World War III, this man says. Israel says Palestinian militants from Janine have carried out more than 50 attacks on Israelis this year, including the recent killing of four men at a gas station. The Israel raids targeting areas where they say Palestinian militants, including Hamas,

plan attacks and stockpile weapons. But Palestinians argue these raids inflame the violence. and that Israeli troops stand by during attacks by Jewish settlers on Palestinian villages. Tonight, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. I have no doubt that as Israel exercises its inherent right of self-defense, the United States will stand firmly by our side. Netanyahu's conservative government is facing major protests at home and tension with the U.S. over its policy of expanding settlements.

And in a sign of those tensions, President Biden has, has still not invited the Israeli Prime Minister to Washington, although the White House did say today it supports Israel's right to defend itself. Alison. Raf Sanchez, thank you. Staying overseas where France is bracing for another night of potentially violent protest, outrage continuing a week after police shot and killed a teenager during a traffic stop. Matt Bradley is in Paris with the latest.

Tonight, France preparing for another night of protests. Capping off a week of extraordinary unrest, even for a country where violent political protests are ordinary. Video shows scores of people setting off explosives in the streets, ransacking stores, and torturing cars and buses. The protesters furious over the killing of a 17-year-old of Algerian descent identified as Nail at a police traffic stop last Tuesday. But last night, the violence appeared to subside. Police arrested only 157 protesters down from a high of more than 1,300 Friday night. But Parisian public officials said that could change at any time. Well, we're always worried.

It's true that it's died down, but the causes that created the violence haven't disappeared, though there's always a risk. The violence may have diminished after Nail's family pleaded with the protesters to stop the destruction. But a week of street fighting has also outraged the French public. One incident in this town was particularly shocking. Ryder's tried to set fire to the home of the mayor of a town outside Paris. His wife was badly injured when she tried to flee with the couple's children. In that town today, the mayor was celebrated as a hero.

This place has emerged as a center for those who say enough is enough with protesters. A signal that for many people here, the protesters have overplayed their hand. Yeah, so after this week of searing violence all throughout France, once Again, the Interior Ministry here in France has announced that they're going to be deploying about 45,000 police officers all across the country preparing for yet another nightmarish night. But if it's true that this violence has finally ebbed, then tonight will be the big test. If protesters don't come out in force, then the police, politicians, and especially the French public, may be able to look forward to the end of this horrific week. Ellison?

Matt Bradley in France. Thank you. here at home to Florida where a sweeping immigration crackdown went into effect this weekend and it is already sparking concerns of a worker shortage. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez has more. The new immigration law that took effect July 1st has prompted protest in Florida. We are people too. We are all people.

We are not illegal. The state's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill in May just weeks before he announced his run for president. It's easier to come to this country illegally than it is legally. The law bans local governments from issuing ID cards to people who cannot prove citizenship. It requires hospitals that accept Medicaid funds to ask about a patient's citizenship status. It also increases penalties for people who hire or transport undocumented immigrants. And it expands the use of e-verify.

A federal database employers can use to check a worker's immigration status. He recently asked the governor what he would tell desperate immigrants fleeing violence in their home countries. Governor, wouldn't you do what you could to protect your family? Once Biden became present, he basically said, come, and so they're coming. And so in that sense, you know, I do have sympathy for the predicament that they found him in because I think they've been sold a bill of goods. At the other, on the other hand, you know, we just have to have a rule of law in this country.

South of Miami in these agricultural fields, Yvette Cruz with the Farm Workers Association of America says some migrant workers have already left the state. There would be people who support Governor Dissantis would say that's a good thing. They would say, I'll just say, I tell them, okay, let's wait and see who's going to do the work that no one else is doing. We spoke with Lesby, who says she's undocumented and asked us not to show her face because she thinks the new law might make it easier for her to be deported. You're going to stay. You're going to stay. She tells me she plans to stay for now because this is her home, but that she and other immigrants like her now live in fear. Game Gutierrez, NBC News, Homestead, Florida.

Now of the fallout from that Supreme Court decision late last week, striking down President Biden's policy of wiping away big chunks of student debt. Payments now scheduled to resume in October, but there are still ways to save. Tom Costello has more. After a three-year payment hiatus during COVID, the clock is ticking down to a potential wallet buster. The Supreme Court decision means borrowers must resume paying off their entire student loans starting October 1st. I planned on saving for my home, possibly starting a family. 30-year-old Sharon Elliott still has $20,000 in loans. Just married, he and his wife must now put their plans on hold.

My wife also has $53,000. student loans as well. So we're both going to be set back. With interest rates averaging nearly 5 percent, experts urge borrowers to make more than the minimum payment. If you make the minimum payment on your student debt, you're going to be carrying that debt for a very long time. The average student loan, $30,000. Now the Biden administration is developing a slow repayment on ramp. Borrowers who can't make a payment for the first 12 months would not be penalized. And a plan called save an income-driven repayment program would cut the minimum monthly payments in half from 10% of discretionary income to 5%. After 10 years of payments, loans of $12,000 or less

would be forgiven. It's good for the economy. It's good for the country. It's going to be good for you. Meanwhile, public service workers, including first responders, nurses and teachers, might also qualify for loan forgiveness. There are affordable ways to pursue college degrees. and in many professions and in many occupations, you absolutely do need those credentials to be able to pursue those careers. College enrollment is actually dropping with fewer students and higher tuition. Financial advisors say in-state schools and two-year community colleges can help make that degree much more affordable.

Back to you. Tom Costello, thank you. Still ahead tonight, a deadly collision caught on camera in Colombia. Two Air Force planes colliding in mid-air. One of the pilots killed what they were doing at the time of the accident. Plus, a stunning development in the case of a young man who went missing while walking his dogs in 2015, where he was just found alive. And saved by iPhone, a hiker falling and getting hurt while alone on a trail with no cell service,

the new tool she used to get help. You'll hear from her directly. Stay with us. We're back now with a miraculous breakthrough in a missing person case in Texas. A 25-year-old man found alive after going missing eight years ago while walking his dogs. His family says he's now recovering as investigators try to piece together his disappearance. NBC's Kathy Park has the details. Tonight, a stunning update in the case of a missing teen who vanished eight years ago near his home in Houston. How this happened?

Oh, we believe in miracles. certainly was a miracle. The family of Rudy Farias confirming he was found alive last Thursday and a good Samaritan spotted the now 25-year-old unresponsive at a church and called 9-1-1. The last time she saw her son was in the spring of 2015 when he left the house with his two dogs and never returned. Rudy was just 18 when he went missing. At the time, detectives did not suspect foul play and classified his disappearance as a missing person's case. I'm scared because he's out there The recent break in Rudy's story putting a national spotlight on a troubling statistic. According to the FBI, just last year alone, there were nearly 360,000 reports of missing children.

In 2015, with no sign of Rudy, family members told NBC news that he had been suffering from depression after losing his brother to a motorcycle accident. I can't even tell you how many times we've searched and how many leads and tips came in. Tim Miller joined many others in the search efforts to bring Rudy back home. But the leads would come up short. In the very beginning, you know, I met with a family and detectives out there by his house where he disappeared and we found a backpack. We actually talked to somebody who had one of the catering trucks, which felt as though that they saw him. Then there was different possible sightings in different places. Tonight, Rudy is recovering at the hospital.

His mom saying he's nonverbal while receiving care to overcome his trauma. She said Rudy was found with bruises, burns and scrapes. There's a lot of questions. There's a lot of investigation to kind of see what happened, where it happened, how it happened. A push for answers as we wait to find out where he's been all these years. Kathy Park, NBC News. Now to a story of an amazing rescue. This time, a hiker in California who fell and heard a snap. Her saving grace, an emergency feature on an iPhone. NBC's Aaron McLaughlin has that story. Juana Reyes never expected her weekend hike through a remote Los Angeles Canyon to end like this.

A rescue mission made possible thanks to new cell phone technology. The dirt just gave way. I tried to find my footing, but it wasn't stable. I landed on the ground and sort of contorted way. On a trail like this one, Reyes didn't have cell service, but she did have an iPhone 14, which boasts a new feature. emergency SOS found in settings that allows a user to dial 911 via satellite. Lucky for Reyes, her hiking buddy knew how to use the new feature and successfully called for help.

It was literally the only way that we got communication out for EMS to come and help us. The third satellite call, L.A. County Search and Rescue says they've received this month. The notification goes immediately to the nearest 911 call center. Last month, 10 teenage hikers used the tech after getting lost on a Southern California trail. And in Colorado, two hikers were rescued after using a similar technology from Garmin. Certain Android phones will soon offer satellite communication, which Reya says she'll no longer hike without. And you never expected something like this to happen. Absolutely not.

Never in my wildest dreams. Aaron McLaughlin, NBC News, Los Angeles. When we come back, scary moments at a county fair in Wisconsin. riders stranded upside down for three hours at the very top of a roller coaster loop. What officials say went wrong and how they got those people down. That's next. Back now with Top Stories News Feed, and we began with a manhunt in Washington, D.C. After a slew of explosions at local businesses, authorities are searching for the man in this surveillance image.

say he used the Molotov cocktail and other explosives to target a bank, a Nike store, and a supermarket all on Sunday. The blasts shaking nearby homes and rattling residents. No injuries were reported. A $20,000 reward has been offered for any information. And a roller coaster at a northern Wisconsin County Fair gave riders quite a scare firefighters using hydraulic ladders to rescue riders who became trapped upside down when the coaster stopped at the top of the loop. They were stuck there for three hours before crews were able to

bring them to safety. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Authorities say the incident was likely caused by a mechanical failure. Thousands of hotel workers in Southern California are walking off the job. Members of Unite Here Local 11 taking to the picket line for a second day. They are demanding wage increases, better health care, and stronger workplace protections. Hotels impacted It include the Ritz Carlton and Intercontinental near downtown Los Angeles. The Hotel Association of L.A. says management has been bargaining in good faith with the union. And all Christmas tree shops are shutting down. Two months after the company filed for bankruptcy, the Massachusetts-based chain will close 70 remaining stores across 20 states after it defaulted on a $45 million loan, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The home goods retailer planned to exit bankruptcy back in August, but worsening revenue. meant they could not pay back that debt. The liquidation will begin next week unless a new buyer steps in. Now to campaign 2024 in Florida Governor Ron DeSantis facing fresh fallout for a new video his campaign shared on Twitter

that some Republicans are now calling homophobic. The video blasting former President Trump for previous comments supporting the LGBTQ-plus community, Trump's comments made in the wake of the deadly Pulse Nightclub shooting. I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBQ citizens. But Caitlin Jenner were to walk into Trump Tower and want to use the bathroom. You would be fine with her using any bathroom she chooses.

That is correct. The video does not stop there. It goes on to tout DeSantis' record of signing anti-LGBQ Plus measures into law as Florida's governor. Under an ominous soundtrack, it intercuts between headlines about those laws to images of DeSantis and then to various images, including some from the film American Psycho, to a gladiator movie, to pictures of male models. Members of both parties quick to condemn the video, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who is openly gay speaking out about the ad just yesterday. I'm going to leave aside the strangeness of trying to prove your manhood by putting up a video. that splices images of view in between oiled-up shirtless bodybuilders. And just get to the bigger issue that is on my mind whenever I see this stuff in the policy

space, which is, again, who are you trying to help? Who are you trying to make better off? And what public policy problems do you get up in the morning thinking about how to solve? Log Cabin Republicans, a conservative LGBTQ-plus group, saying on Twitter, quote, Ron DeSantis' extreme rhetoric has just ventured into homophobic territory. For more on this, I want to bring in Steve Hayes, founder and CEO of the conservative publication, The Dispatch, and an NBC News political contributor. Steve, thank you, as always, for being here with us.

To be clear, this is not a video that was produced by the DeSantis campaign, but they did repost it on their social media. We've since seen the head of their war room, other members with the campaign, kind of doubled down on this on social media. What is the play here politically for DeSantis, and is it working? Yeah, I'll be honest. I'm not sure what the play here is for the DeSantis campaign. We have seen since he became a formal candidate, and even before he announced, Ron DeSantis' campaign,

targeted toward the Trump base, the MAGA base, trying to peel off some portion of the Trump voters, the hardcore Trump voters, with the idea that he can later sort of pivot and appeal to a broader cross-section of Republicans. That's what this feels like. It's of a piece with a lot of the kind of hand-to-hand combat that we've seen between the Trump camp on the one hand and the DeSantis camp on the other, on Twitter, in these online spaces. And my best guest, talking to some Republicans who are scratching their heads, is that this is just one of these Twitter fights that went way too far. And, you know, in the current Republican Party, the last thing you do is apologize, so they're sticking with it.

Steve, as we mentioned at the top, this video, it's not just people on the left who are criticizing it. It is Republicans, some big-name Republicans. I want to play a little what former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had to say. He is also running for the Republican nomination. Here's what he said about the video this weekend. I'm not comfortable with it, and I'm not comfortable with the way both Governor DeSantis and Donald Trump are moving our debate in this country. It is a teenage, you know, food fight between Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump. And I don't think that's what leaders should be doing. And you said earlier, this seems in your view like it might be some sort

of Twitter fight that went too far and then no one in today's Republican Party wants to apologize. I mean, how does this sort of thing land with your average Republican voter? And do you expect to hear anything from Governor DeSantis? Yeah, that's sort of the key question. I think with the average Republican voter, this just seems weird. I mean, if you watch the video, it's just a weird video. You're not even sure what the point he's making is. At one point, he seems to adopt the language of his harshest critics on the left and amplify them as to say, Ron DeSantis is tougher than everybody else on these issues. That's not a pitch that's going to appeal to a vast majority of Republicans.

Remember, if you look at the Republican Party, half of the Republican Party is for gay marriage. 67% of church-going people on a weekly or monthly basis are for gay marriage. This is just not an issue that animates most Republicans. Now, of that sort of hardcore Twitter online slice, this is an animating issue. This makes people passionate. But it's a change for Ronda Santis. Remember, in 2018, Ronda Santos was running for governor, and he was asked about the debates over whether transgender people should be allowed in opposite bathrooms.

He said he didn't think it was worth his time to get into that. This is obviously quite a different Ron DeSantis. When you're looking at this campaign strategy, if there is a strategy here, which I guess at this point, we don't know for sure what happens on Twitter might not be an indication of something bigger. But if you just look at this moment and you look at the DeSantis campaign, he has made culture wars a very big part of his candidacy. He's talking about it all the time on the campaign trail. Some of that stuff might work well in a primary, but it's the forever question. how do you switch and kind of dial it back at times to appeal to a more general electorate. Is this one of those things that you think will come back to haunt him if he does become the Republican nominee?

Yes, unequivocally. I mean, look, if this is not likely to appeal to the broad Republican Party, it certainly isn't going to appeal to Democrats and independents who are far to the left of most Republicans on this issue. I think that's what makes it such a curious play. And as to the strategy, I mean, I think we're in such a different moment. politically, the way that campaigns are run these days, you have some young people operating Twitter accounts, operating social media accounts, who are trying to win, you know, not the day, 10 years ago, 15 years ago, the argument in campaigns was, can we win the day? Then it was, can we win the morning? Now it's, can we win this next 20 minutes? And I think that's what you're seeing here at play. When you look at this ad, Steve, the person that it was ultimately

going after is former President Donald Trump. In this video, it shows him speaking, promising to protect the LGBTQ plus community in the wake of the deadly shooting at a gay nightclub in Florida that happened back in 2016. Can you explain for viewers how the former president has navigated his relationships within the LGBTQ plus community? And do you expect him or his campaign to respond to this video? Yeah, it's a good question. Excuse me. Donald Trump has been kind of all over the place on this, too. He's been, as the video suggests, very welcoming of LGBTQ people in general and the Republican Party. He's lately taken somewhat of a tougher line, but it's hard to imagine or to understand whether that's Donald Trump changing a strategy

or Donald Trump responding to this day-to-day combat with the DeSantis campaign. All right. Steve Hayes, thank you so much for your insight and analysis. We really appreciate it. Now to a consumer warning tonight, some of the biggest musical stars are on the road and coming to a venue near you, but you could get burned buying tickets. NBC News senior consumer investigative correspondent Vicki Wynn has tips on how you can avoid getting scammed. From sporting events to music festivals and highly anticipated concerts, this summer you'll find no shortage of live entertainment. Live Nation expecting another busy concert season after a record 44 million fans attended 11,000 events last summer. But tickets, not always easy to

come by. Late last year, Taylor Swift fans crashed Ticketmaster's pre-sale for the singer's Erez tour. Did they get tickets to the Taylor Swift concert? Because maybe... Fans turning to secondary sites and social media for tickets, some getting scammed instead. The Better Business Bureau receiving more than 18,000 complaints about event ticket sales since January 2022. He really seemed so genuine. He even offered to meet me a person and that was a huge

trust builder with me. Amelia McCall says she encountered a real life anti-hero on Facebook marketplace. Even though the platform doesn't allow the buying and selling of tickets, McCall says she saw a post offering a pair of tickets to Swift's Atlanta show for $180 each. Using Google pay, McCall sent money to the seller for just one ticket, asking them to transfer it before she paid for the second. When did you realize it was a scam? After I sent him money and he blocked me immediately. McCall ended up losing her money. Google Pay encourages users to only send money to people they know. The company says it isn't responsible for peer-to-peer disputes, stating in its terms of service, fraudulent payments may result in the loss of your money

with no recourse. Consumers feel that they don't have a fair chance to get taken. Gary Adler is the executive director and counsel for the National Association of Ticket Brokers or NatB. What are some red flags when it comes to ticket scams? The big thing is for people to do their homework. Make sure they're buying from a reputable professional reseller. It also do your homework on pricing of tickets. Use a credit card instead of a peer-to-peer payment app and ask if the reseller offers a return policy. Adler says all NatBee members offer a 200% money-back guarantee.

Double your money back. Double your money back. So before clicking by, read the fine print to learn what kind of protection the service provides. Popular sites like Stubhub, Vivid Seats, and Seat Geek, all offer money back guarantees. If you're already hesitant about it, I would say just go with your gun. Erica Annius learned this lesson the hard way after she and her cousin tried to buy tickets on Twitter to see Sugar, a member of the popular K-pop boy band, BTS. While the social media site prohibits the sale of unauthorized tickets, someone was offering two tickets for $440.

Ania says she agreed to transfer the money through Zell. They actually sent video of like the tickets on Ticketmaster and so they seem legit. After she sent the funds, Annie says she and her cousin were blocked by the seller and they never received the tickets. I lost the money and now I can't go to the concert. They reported the incident to Zell, which doesn't offer a protection program for authorized payments, as stated in its service agreement. The company recommending. sending money only to friends, family, and others that you know and trust.

Other expert tips when buying resale tickets, avoid ads. Don't just click on the first search result you see. Only work with sellers who share the location of seats before purchase, so you can verify they exist at the venue. Also, check the date and time on the tickets. And if you can't have immediate access to them, make sure the seller discloses when they'll ship or when you can pick them up. Advice to help you shake it off when it comes to scams.

If you fall for a scam, you can always report it to the Federal Trade Commission or the Better Business Bureau. You can also file a complaint with your state's Attorney General. And if you bought it with a credit card, definitely file a complaint with them, too. Back to you. Vicki Wynn, thank you. Coming up next, Banning Barbie, the new movie starring Margot Robbie will not be hitting screens. And at least one country will tell you where and why when we come back. Back now with Top Story's Global Watch, and we begin in Colombia with a deadly plane crash caught on camera.

Cell phone video shows the moment two Colombian Air Force planes collided, one of them bursting into flames during a training exercise near a military base. The Air Force confirming Lieutenant Colonel Mario Andreas Espanoza Gonzalez died in the accident. An investigation is underway to determine the cause. Tarrantial downpours unleashing catastrophic flooding in the eastern and south. western provinces of China. Video showing surging rivers, rushing into towns, destroying homes, and washing away cars. At least 10,000 people forced to evacuate as the floodwaters rose. Some thankfully pulled to safety by vote. An estimated $79 million worth of damage already done. So far, no deaths have been reported. And the highly anticipated Barbie movie will not be coming to

Vietnam, a state-run newspaper announcing that the country has banned the Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling film because of a scene that features a, quote, offensive map. The map, which you can see here, it shows what is known as the nine dash line. It's a mark used by China to illustrate a contested area of the South China Sea. Vietnam has long rejected China's claim that it controls the waters off the coast of Vietnam, an area that is very oil-rich. It is not clear which scene that map appears in. Next tonight to an NBC News exclusive with an inside look at a Taiwanese military base

and how its forces are preparing for a possible escalation with China in the years ahead. NBC's chief foreign correspondent, Richard Engle, has that report. NBC News was given rare access to a military base in southeastern Taiwan. I feel pressure, but this is what I do. Where rookie pilots are preparing for what officials here see as an increasingly urgent threat from communist China to invade and strip Taiwan of democracy and. autonomy. We can all foresee there might be a war with China. That's what we are all preparing to do. We train to fight and fight and win. Taiwanese defense officials tell NBC News a controversial

trip by then-speaker Nancy Pelosi a year ago was a turning point. For China, it seemed close to recognizing Taiwan's independence. China fired 11 ballistic missiles right over the island and encircled it with warships to prove it can strangle Taiwan whenever it wants. It was a wake-up call, and Taiwan's government is now hardening its defenses, extending mandatory military service for men from four months to a year, making reserve training more intense and realistic, and pressing the U.S. for delivery of F-16s. In Taipei, Taiwan's foreign minister Joseph Wu told us a Chinese invasion would have dead. devastating impacts on the global economy.

And we need to deter the war from happening. If there's going to be a war, it will have a major impact upon the rest of the world. And that is something that we don't want to see. Do you think that the United States would come to Taiwan's defense? Of course, I cannot speculate whether the president of the United States is going to enter a war over Taiwan or not. What we need from the United States is for Taiwan to be able to defend. itself. Taiwan would not get much notice of an attack. Chinese jets could cross the narrow Taiwan straight in minutes. So pilots here say their main mission is readiness. Taiwanese officials do

not believe an attack is imminent, but could be years away. Taiwanese military officials tell us they do not believe it's a question of if China will invade, but when. Richard Engel, NBC News. When we come back at California Hospital, skiing double times 10, we will take you inside the L.A. Hospital currently caring for 10 sets of twins, how the staff and new parents are keeping up. Back now with the unusual way some California residents will be celebrating the 4th of July. This year, an estimated 10,000 people will be skiing to mark the holiday, despite it being the middle of the summer. Maggie Vespa hits the slopes to show us how an especially snowy winter allowed ski season to slide right in to Independence Day. Happy Fourth of July!

On the holiday devoted to red, white and blue, a rare chance to shred the white. You're skiing on the Fourth of July? Yeah, hell yeah. How wild is this? So sick. So sick. Many repping their best stars and stripes. We're doing our best to not grow up.

Others simply in summer's finest. I've never skied in the summers, and I've never skied in a bikini. Against the odds, this 4th of July weekend, the slopes of Northern California's majestic Mammoth Mountain remain primed for an estimated 10,000 patriotic runs. The snowy summer conditions remnants of a relentless winter, swelling the Golden States, rivers and streams, and at its peak, burying the mountain's chairlifts. Staff had to dig them out. How intense was that?

Very. There was some that it took us a number of days to get dug out. Even this lodge was completely submerged. Some 900 inches of snow piled up here on the summit, shattering previous records and stretching the ski season well into summer. A silver lining, some say, to a rough winter. It's great that we can all enjoy it now. Speaking of enjoying it, we can confirm resistance is fuel.

This is July. This is wild. Marking an unlikely celebration of America's independence on ice. Happy morning July! Maggie Vespa, NBC News, Mammoth Mountain, California. And finally tonight, the baby boom that has new parents at a Los Angeles hospital seeing double quite a lot recently. The hospital has count them 10 sets of twins all at once. For these families now pulling double duty, they are finding comfort in sharing that journey with so many others. At Cedars Sinai neonatal intensive care

unit, good things come in pairs. Double blessing for sure. Big shock and a double blessing. Right now 10 sets of twins are in the NICU, a surprise to both parents and staff. We're used to twins. We're used to multiples, but having that many at one time was quite an accomplishment. I don't know what the record is, but 10 is pretty close to it. This is baby A. He was born at 2.4.

And this is baby B, and he was born at 2.5. Tor-a-dora, one of the mothers here, a twin herself. Two girls, yes. Thank God. Double blessing. Taking care of these 10 sets of twins is keeping the nursing staff on their toes. I love that there's multiple twins in the NICU with us. I found out just from being in the same bay with them or getting to know some of the parents and exchanging numbers and, you know,

we've been keeping in touch, which is really wonderful. That's Alexie Brooklyn Edelstein. She was born four pounds, five ounces. And one minute later, her brother, Cameron Cash Edelstein. He was born three pounds, 14 ounces. For first time parents, Diana and Jordan Adelstein, just to have twins of their own is a dream come true. You know, we struggled a little bit with our pregnancy journey, and I had always envisioned having boy girl twins. And somehow, by the grace of God, we were able to have that come to life. And it's been really amazing to see. Now the couple is thankful to share their twin tour with so many other families.

To connect with other parents and kind of see their journey too. And it's, you know, it's comforting to see so many other families experiencing the same thing. And congratulations to all of those families. We hope sleep is in your future, maybe soon. Thank you so much for watching Top Story. For Tom Yamis, I'm Ellison Barber in New York. Stay right there. More News Now is on the way.