Top Story with Tom Llamas - Thursday, July 9, 2026

Episode Date: July 10, 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.

Tonight, our new reporting on the security concerns of the brand new Air Force One as the fighting with Iran ramps up. New video of a fresh round of attacks as President Trump cast doubt on a new deal. And what we just learned about why the president did not take this new Air Force One on part of his latest trip. Plus the mystery renovations at the White House, the scaffolding and tarp just going up today. What work is being done now? Inside the chaotic race to replace Senate candidate, Graham Platner, who just ended his campaign. The candidates jumping in, one even repurposing his old campaign signs from a past election. The college athlete found dead after a July 4th party on a remote island.

His parents now demanding answers. What could be the last photo of him before his death? Shark sighting spike what's behind the alarming rise at one of the country's most popular beaches. Flaming propane arson attack. A man seemed lighting a business on fire. The officers rushed in and put out the flames. Plus a Madison Square Garden database hacked. Why the venue has Little John, Anna Wintour, and Ben Stiller, and many more on a celebrity risk list will explain.

And can Instagram use your photos for its AI generator? The new feature and how you can opt out. Top story starts right now. And good evening. We begin tonight with those escalating attacks between the U.S. and Iran, the ceasefire crumbling. As tonight we're learning, it was a security concern about the new Air Force. One that prompted President Trump to leave the region in a different plane. You can see and hear the massive explosions in Iran, the U.S. unleashing a barrage of missiles

across the region. U.S. Central Commands saying they struck roughly 90 naval air defense and military targets. Iran firing off its own wave of attacks, seen here on video released by their military. The fighting escalated as President Trump made his way back from the NATO summit in Turkey, and sources now tell NBC News the president was advised not to fly back in the new Air Force one gifted by Qatar because it does not have all available defense capabilities. And this is what the president came home to a White House under construction, more construction, as scaffolding and printed tarps appear to cover the front columns. So what renovations are now underway?

Our Kelly O'Donnell is across it all and leads us off tonight. Fire and fear. New video shows a fresh round of U.S. strikes on Iran. after Iran's recent attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. We just hit them very hard, and I say we hit them 20 to 1. Every time they hit us, we're going to hit them 20. The return to fighting after the president claimed for months that Iran was ready to deal. But now, new doubt.

I just don't know if they're worthy of making it. I don't know that they're going to honor the deal. Heightened tensions prompted a very visible security change involving that new luxury version of Air Force One. Two sources say the Secret Service recommended that Mr. Trump not fly the commercial plane gifted by Qatar as he departed Turkey Wednesday as a precaution not due to a specific threat. The White House said the new plane has been fitted with high-level security protocols. However, sources familiar with the aircraft say it does not have all of the defensive capabilities built into the older military-grade presidential plane.

Tonight, the president back at the White House where more construction is underway. The White House entrance obscured by scaffolding and a new tarp with an image of the columns. While on the south lawn, work continues on a first ever helipad for Marine One landings. We're building a helipad, beautiful helipad. Beyond Washington, today the Trump name was added to a Tennessee bridge. And Palm Beach Airport now bears the president's name. The new airport code, soon to be his initials, DJT. Okay, with that, Kelly O'Donnell joins us from the White House.

Kelly, when we look behind you there, it looks like it's the White House. It looks fine, but that's actually a tarp. And you have some information about what's going on behind it. It really is an illusion at this point, Tom, because it is a tarp with a very realistic image of the White House printed on that. So it allows you to sort of have the normal background while work is going on. So behind that, officials say it's maintenance work. What does that mean? Well, it is a combination of trying to smooth out the columns,

fix any cracks or repairs, do those kinds of things. But this all brings about a question because we have heard the president before make changes and then make bigger changes. So that has prompted some concern. Would he alter the front of the White House? He has already picked a different style of column for his ballroom, the Corinthian style. It's more ornate. These are iconic columns a little simpler.

Now, putting that question of White House officials, they tell me that the current scope of the work does not include design changes. Now, we want to put that in context because remember the president said he would not be taking down the east wing and then later he did. That's what prompts these questions to try to make certain we have an understanding of the work that's going on. We showed you some images of the helipad on the south lawn. That will include granite, the president says, and a design. featuring the presidential seal. That change is in part because there is a new issue of Marine 1, and the president wanted to have a helipad. He's had helipads in his New York life, his Florida life, and he wanted one here. And so the maker of that helicopter, Sikorski, part of the Lockheed Martin

Company, is paying $5 million or so to build that on the South Lawn. But that, again, is a permanent change to the South Lawn, where they hold lots of events, including including the Easter egg role, state visits for foreign dignitaries, all of those kinds of things. Tom? All right, Kelly O'Donnell, with all those plans wrapped up there for us. We thank you. We want to turn out of some dramatic moments unfolding in a hearing for the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk. The suspect's former roommate and lover in a recorded interview saying the accused killer expressed regret after the shooting.

Camila Bernal has been following the case and has more for us. For the first time, we're hearing from the former roommate of Tyler Robinson. the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk. I started crying a little bit and said he wishes he hadn't done it. This moment from a previously recorded interview is part of a prosecutors consider a confession Robinson made to his then roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twigs. The video shown today at a hearing in Utah along with messages, they exchanged the day of the September 2025 shooting. So this would have been from Tyler. says drop what you're doing, look under your keyboard.

Prosecutors say under that keyboard was a handwritten note that said, I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I'm going to take it. Kirk's wife Erica, who has been in court all week in tears as that note was read. Twigs describing their interaction the day after the shooting like this. I just asked him in person if what he said was true the night before and he said it was. In court today, prosecutors also showing never-before-seen photos of the rifle believed to have been used by Robinson and engraved bullets. Will you read the markings here? A fascist?

Okay, with that, Camilla Brunall joins us now. Camila, the last day of this hearing is tomorrow. What is the defense saying and where does the case go from here? And when does the trial start? So the defense right now actually has one of their witnesses on the stand. It's an if-TA agent, Tom. And what she is alluding to is the fact that it is very hard to say with 100% certainty that that is the rifle, that that is the bullet that killed Charlie Kirk. And what she testified to was, yeah, it's impossible to tell because I have not tested every firearm in the world. We expect another person to testify for the defense tomorrow, likely another ATF agent.

We'll have to wait and see for that. And then once everything wraps up, the judge has to decide whether this moves forward or not. If he decides, yes, this can move forward to a trial, then Tyler Robinson would enter a plea, which he hasn't done so far. And then we would have a trial date. Hopefully, more clarity on all of this coming soon, Tom. Okay, Camila Bernal for us. We'll see where this goes from there. Thank you. Now to the headline rocking the political world, Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine, Graham Platner, suspending his campaign after months of scandal. So let's recap. some of how we got here tonight.

In October of last year, a slew of controversial Reddit comments surfaced, which Plattner apologized for. And just days later, he revealed he covered up a tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol. He maintains he was unaware of the meaning when he got it. Fast forward to May of this year, the Wall Street Journal reports on a series of sexually explicit texts Plattner sent to multiple women early in his marriage. On June 4th, several women Plattner dated recalled unsettling behavior. during their relationships. In a report published in the New York Times,

Plattner at the time called the accusations, quote, lies. Despite of all that, Maine Democrats voted to make Plattner their candidate on June 9th, setting him up for a face-off against Republican Senator Susan Collins in November. But earlier this week, a new bombshell allegation, first reported by Politico and CNN, a past girlfriend accusing him of rape. Platner has denied it.

And then finally, late last night, Platter posting this video to X, saying, He is suspending his campaign. Now the race to replace him is full steam ahead as Democrats fight to control Congress this comer. Ryan Nobles picks it up from there. Tonight, Democrats in Maine starting from scratch in search of a new nominee after embattled Graham Platner ended his campaign in the wake of a rape accusation. I intend to file my paperwork to withdraw. Platner denied the accusation against him and said he was only dropping out because the political influence.

infrastructure around him had collapsed. We're going to lose all of the things that any campaign needs on the basic level, simply to function. His exit now kicks off a frantic sprint for Maine Democrats to pick his replacement by July 27th. The party planning a 600-person convention with the goal of creating a competitive contest with multiple candidates. A different approach from the process that led to Kamala Harris replacing Joe Biden. Biden as the party's nominee for president in 2024. Already at least a half a dozen candidates have jumped into the race, including Riv Shah, who lost the state's primary for governor, repurposing his campaign signs to reflect the new race

and distancing himself from the former nominee. I would not accept an endorsement from Graham, nor have I sought one. Some voters relieve that Platner is out, but worried about the chaos his exit has left behind. Well, it just thrown confusion into everything. Meanwhile, incumbent Republican Susan Collins continues on in search of her sixth term. And once again, Democrats concede she will be tough to beat. I'd like to find somebody who's young and stop this Trump train that I think Collins is the co-conductor of. Ryan Nobles joins us tonight from D.C.

So Ryan, we know Plattner has suspended his campaign, but he isn't officially out of office. Explain to our viewers what's going on. Yeah, this is a technical part of this process, Tom, but it is still an important one. Main law specifically says that he has to file paperwork with the Secretary of State withdrawing his name from consideration as the nominee for the Democratic Party. Now, even though he posted that video last night and said that he planned to do that and that he was suspending his campaign, he has not physically handed that paperwork over to the Secretary of State. And we have two sources that have told us that Plattner has told his campaign team.

does not plan to do that until Monday, which is the deadline. So even though everyone is confident that he will eventually take that step, there is a bit of nervous anxiety until he actually hands in that paperwork. And the main Democratic Party cannot begin that process of calling that convention and bringing all those delegates in to replace him until he officially takes that step, Tom. Okay, Ryan Noble's explaining the process here for us. Thank you. We're going to take a turn now. We want to head to China because there's some devastating scenes there. A massive firebreak, you know, at a shoe factory, trapping hundreds inside.

And some workers were fleeing the roof, one hanging from the building even. Janice McEughrae reports on the rising death toll there. Tonight, terrifying scenes at a shoe factory in southeastern China, where flames and thick smoke engulfed the entire building, trapping workers on the roof. A man standing at the edge as a woman cries out, come on jump, they're afraid. And this person holding on to the wall. the building before they fall. In this video, voices saying firefighters can't get there.

239 people were inside the factory when the fire broke out, according to Chinese state media. Volunteers tried using ladders to help some escape. Officials say at least 28 people were killed. Widely covered across state media, the blaze is the latest in a string of fatal workplace accidents here, including explosions at a fireworks factory and inside a coal mine that prompted nationwide scrutiny of workplace safety in China. The fire at the shoe factory started on the ground floor, a local official told state media and said that materials there were poorly stored and highly flammable, making it hard for rescue teams to get people out.

Okay, Janice joins us now from a rainy Beijing. And Janus, we're hearing from China's leader about this fire and all these deaths? Yeah, Tom, the fire prompted open criticism from China's leader Xi Jinping, who ordered a full investigation and said those responsible for the tragedy should answer for it. That she made a personal statement so quickly is significant because there is the tendency here for the government to sometimes take days to acknowledge that something serious has even happened. She's statement within hours of the fire made it a national political issue. And it shows that Beijing is concerned that these deadly and deadly industrial. Industrial accidents are part of a broader problem here in China. Tom.

Okay, Janice, we thank you for that. Back here at home, there are growing questions over a Mississippi college athlete who died over the 4th of July on a boating trip to an island with friends. They returned, but he did not. NBC's Aaron Gilchrist has the latest. Tonight, the urgent search for answers as the mystery grows over what happened to Nolan Wells. The 18-year-old college athlete found dead last seen on a 4th of July trip. His body recovered from the water near Horn Island off the Mississippi mainland on Monday morning. His body was washed up on the shore, and so we have to get to the answers.

Authorities say Wells took a boat to the island with friends on Independence Day. This photo may be one of the last taken of him. Wells was reported missing by his family that evening after the friends returned home without him. It's unclear if any of the people in the photo were with him when he disappeared. Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump has suggested race may be a factor in the investigation. Nolan was the only African American in the group. And so it is making people harking back to the sins of the past in the state of Mississippi.

And so I think that's why people are so concerned with getting to the truth of what happened to Nolan Wells. Some have speculated that videos circulated on social media show Nolan in an argument with other people, but even the person who shot it says she doesn't know who is talking or what it appears to show. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is asking people on the island that day to turn over any unedited video or photos, specifically those depicting alleged altercations or containing images of or believed to include Nolan Wells.

The rumors are out there, but the truth is what we want to get to law enforcement. A local judge posted on Facebook that her son was on the boat with Wells, right? writing that he cooperated with investigators and that her son decided to leave because of boat damage and that Wells made a decision to stay on the island and return inland later with another group of friends. I think the family deserves the truth, and that's what we're here to provide for them. Tonight, the family waiting on state and independent autopsies, as Nolan Wells is being remembered by a former coach as an outstanding athlete who carried himself with humility and led by example. All right, Aaron Gilchrist joins us now.

Now, Aaron, the big question here, when do we expect to learn more about what happened to Nolan? Well, Tom, we could start to get some answers as soon as tomorrow. We know that there are two autopsies that either have been or are being conducted. The state medical examiner there in Mississippi, of course, doing the official autopsy examination. Those results, as we understand it, would then be turned over to the coroner's office in Jackson County, Mississippi. And that person would make the official public notification about the result of the autopsy. We also know that Ben Crump, the attorney for the family, has commissioned an independent autopsy as well.

He has said that Nolan Welles' body has been flown to Washington, D.C., and that he expects to have results from that independent autopsy at some point tomorrow. We also know that tomorrow, the Wells family, along with Ben Crump and Al Sharpton of the National Action Network, the Reverend from the National Action Network, plan to hold a news conference together. We don't know if we'll hear the Wells family speak, Tom, but they will be present there. And again, we think that's going to be a moment for them to publicly ask for a very transparent investigation there in Mississippi. Okay, Aaron Gilchrist for us. Erin, thank you for that update.

Tonight we're also getting new images of a rescue at the top of the Brooklyn Bridge, a person in distress brought down from the suspension cables high above the water. Here's Aaron McLaughlin. Tonight, new video shows a harrowing rescue at the top of the famed Brooklyn Bridge. Specially trained officers with safety harnesses climbing up the cables. You can see them high up in the air, the water more than 100 feet below. According to the police commissioner Wednesday evening, the NYPD Emergency Services Unit responded to 911 calls of a person in distress. My name is Chris. What's your name?

I just want to talk. What's happening today? Body camera footage shows an officer approaching the woman who has not been named. Her face blurred by the NYPD. I want to help you. That's why I'm up here right now. I genuinely can't. I do. Listen as the officer gently tries to talk her down,

meeting the crisis with compassion. It's a permanent solution to a temporary problem. It really is. I don't know what you're going through, but I want to understand. We have services we can get you to. The strongest thing you can do right now is accept help. I promise you, that's the strongest thing you can do. Police say the conversation lasted for nearly an hour before a team

first responders restrains her, safely removing her from the bridge and taking her to the hospital for evaluation. Tonight, the New York Police Commissioner praising those officers for their extraordinary care and courage. Aaron McLaughlin, NBC News, New York. Okay, when we come back tonight, the new warning for swimmers this summer, one of the nation's busiest beaches now on high alert over a record number of shark sightings where they're being spotted. Stephen Romo's going to tell us. Plus, Justin Baldoni opening up for the first time since his legal battle with Blit Glyleaf, what he's revealing. And a knife-wielding Florida man now facing charges after allegedly using a propane tank. Look at that. To set a restaurant on fire, we'll show you that video

and how police caught up to him next. We're back now with the record shark sightings at one of the most popular beaches in New York. It's raising concerns after a man was bitten at a nearby beach over July 4th. Stephen Romo has the latest. From the sky to the sand, authorities at New York beaches on high alert for sharks. Some people in the water. It's already been a record-breaking summer for shark sightings at one popular spot. Rockaway Beach officials say 23 sightings reported since late May. More than a dozen of those between July 1st and July 5th.

This nine-foot shark spotted at nearby point lookout off in the waters of Long Island on July 2nd. New York State marine biologists confirming the man seen here. here rushed off a Long Island beach that same weekend was indeed bitten by a shark. You screaming, I got bit. Officials say it may have been a small sand tiger shark. What do you think when you hear that there have been several sharks there? I think it's a little scary. New York State Police deploying a fleet of drones to monitor the water and help keep

beachgoers safe. I'm looking for anything of interest that might raise any eyebrows like a large school of beetfish, any large splashes in the water, any thing that might look like a fin. Experts say increased surveillance, like those drones, may be contributing to the rise in sightings. We have to acknowledge the fact that we're looking harder than we've ever looked before to try and find these animals, obviously, to keep people safe. Assistant Professor Oliver Shipley studies sharks at Stony Brook University near those New York beaches. A wind coming from the south that's pushing large schools of fish up close to the beach. you know, it is one of the things that we tell people to keep an eye out for.

And that's certainly something that the lifeguards and the drones are also looking for as well. Last year, according to the University of Florida International Shark Attack File, there were 25 unprovoked bites in the U.S. Researchers closely monitoring this year as summer crowds return to beaches. Okay, Stephen Romo joins us from Rockaway. Stephen, a record number of sightings there, but do officials keep the beaches open? Yeah, so far, Tom, but they are warning. that there could be intermittent closures of beaches when these sightings pop up.

And there are likely to be more sightings because they have 16 brand new drones out keeping an eye on the water to see if there are any sharks out there. In the meantime, experts are saying to try to swim closer to the shore if you do go out and to avoid doing that at dawn or dusk. Tom. All right, Stephen Ruhl for us. Stephen, thank you. Next tonight, actor Justin Baldoni, speaking for the first time since his high-profile legal battle with actress Blake lively. It Ends with Us, Director and his wife posting a video detailing their experience. He's a portion of that clip. What I will say is that there have been so many painful things that have been spoken in due existence.

Untruthful. Over the last couple years. And that created so much noise, and we didn't want to add to the noise. So we just wanted to let the justice system run its course. Okay, you'll remember that legal saga that stretched a year and a half after Lively sued Baldoni alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni denied the allegations and filed a $400 million countersuit. It all came to an end in May with Baldoni settling out of court with Lively just before the trial was set to begin. I want to bring in senior Hollywood reporter Rebecca Keegan, who has the latest details for us.

So, Rebecca, what new things did we learn from this video of Baldoni and his wife? Well, what's most interesting about this video in some ways is what they didn't say. They never mentioned Blake Lively by name. They didn't talk about the case. They didn't talk about the movie they made together or Justin's future career plans. They really focused narrowly on what the impact has been on their family, talked about faith. Justin said that, quote, gratitude, what was what really had gotten them through it. Okay.

And then Rebecca, Blake Lively has been dealing with some bad PR since she didn't get the invite at Taylor Swift's wedding. Some people are saying that. Despite the two being very close in the past, is Baldoni doing this now to sort of maybe take advantage of that PR timing? Kind of doing a pile up here, pile on? That is interesting timing, particularly for Swifties. Another interesting and important piece of timing is the legal fight. As you mentioned, they settled out of court in May, but there has been this peace lingering, a fight over the legal fees that Lively incurred when Baldoni sued her for defamation. Judge Lewis Lyman tossed out that suit, and he said that Lively is entitled to those legal fees. Her attorneys have said they amount to about $8 million, and now we wait

to hear from Baldoni's attorneys in response to that. That should happen Monday. And then this was such an ugly battle in the public eye. Do you think someone like Baldoni will be able to work again, find work in Hollywood? Will he be cast? will people want to be in his movies? You know, it's interesting time. One of the important details that gets left out of the conversation about the legal wrangling is that it ends with us was actually a huge success.

It made over $350 million at the worldwide box office off a budget of $25 million. As a filmmaker, he gets credit for that. As a leading man, he gets credit for that. And so does Blake lively as a filmmaker and as a leading lady. So in some ways, I think they will both eventually be fine professionally. As we know, Hollywood loves a comeback story.

Yeah, we shall see. All right. Thanks so much, Rebecca. Still ahead tonight, Madison Square Garden accused of keeping a secret list of celebrities and ranking them on their potential risk. We're going to explain. Plus, growing concerns over a new feature on Instagram. Are your photos being used to make AI deepfakes?

We're back down with Top Stories News Feed, starting here in New York with a growing outbreak of a severe kind of pneumonia. It's called Lesionaire's Disease. So far, officials have confirmed three dozen cases, but they say that number will probably rise with more testing. Almost two-thirds of those cases have sent people to the hospital. Investigators are still working to figure out what's causing the outbreak. In Florida, deputies arresting a man after they say he set a restaurant on fire with a propane tank.

Here you can see the suspect walking inside carrying that flaming tank. Body cam shows the building filling with smoke. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says the man was holding two knives when they showed up at the scene. he's now facing multiple charges, including obviously arson. And while video out of New York showing two cars crashing into the side of a building, police say they lost control and hit each other before slamming through this yoga studio. A person on the street jumping to get out of the way, look at that. Wow.

Authorities say everyone is expected to be okay, but both drivers are facing charges. And meta is facing backlash over a new AI feature. It just rolled out on Instagram. The app is called Muse Image. It allows users to make realistic deep fakes using other. people's photos. Any adult with a public Instagram account was automatically included. Critics say the feature raises serious privacy concerns, but a meta spokesperson says users can easily opt out. Here's how you do it. Listen up. You go to your settings and search sharing and reuse. Then you scroll down to

allow people to create with and reuse your content and toggle both of those off. Now to a bombshell new report that says Madison Square Garden systematically tracks, categorizes, and surveils its celebrity guests, rating their risk level and even flagging their sexuality. Wired reports that hackers released a database maintained by MSG, led by controversial owner Jim Dolan with notes on more than 39,500 notable figures. About 400 of them have been assigned a risk score, though it's unclear what that risk refers to. Among those marked low risk, Edie Falco, Tracy Morgan, Ben Stiller, Michael Strayhan, Mariska Hargate, Ice Spice, Selena Gomez, and Benson Boone.

The medium risk list includes rappers Fat Joe and Jadakis, actor Lily Allen, her ex David Harbor, Morgan Wallin, and Vogue's Anna Wintor. High risk, hip-hop stars including Little John and DeBaby. A spokesperson for MSG telling NBC News, the reporting is, quote, inaccurate and false and that the venue is pursuing legal remedies. sound great. Here to discuss his reporting, Wired's Noah Shackman. Noah, thanks so much for being here. You guys obviously stand by your reporting. Absolutely. Tell us what happened here. What happened was there was a group of hackers called shiny hunters. They've been hitting

companies throughout the country, throughout the world. And finally, they hit Madison Square Garden, and they released 45 gigabytes worth of data, including this one database, this talent database, containing 39,000 entries. Did you go through this? Have you seen it? What does it look like? And how does it read? I mean, look, it looks like a spreadsheet, okay? Yeah. But it's got these completely bizarreo fields on it. First off, it categorizes all of these celebrities' sexuality and ethnicity, which is something I've really never seen in a document like this before.

Could you find some type of pattern with the way that it sort of rated these risks? Yeah, I could, actually, because I've got sourcing within Madison Square Garden and its security operation. And so what they told me was that the risk was really about. whether the celebrities would say something not so nice about Jim Dolan, the owner of the Knicks and the owner of medicine. Someone who's sensitive about his coverage and someone who's in the news a lot. Yeah, that's exactly right. And somebody who's gone out and banned fans over the years and banned lawyers. Former players too. Yeah, former players, most famously Charles Oakley, from entering the garden because they said things he didn't like. Is there any way, and you know, you can't really explain or understand, at least I can't, the sexuality ranking or why that's important to put that in somewhere.

notes, is there any way to look at this and say, oh, actually, this was a good idea for security, or this would give security a leg up or a system, or not really, it's just bizarre? Well, I was actually told there's a separate database for security risks, and this is really much more of a PR or... This is not about security. No, this isn't about security. Even though the risk thing is there. This is about how it's going to affect Jim Dolan.

Yeah, this is about public image. This isn't about security. And look, a lot of what goes on at the Garden isn't really about security. It's about public image. For example, there's a network of cameras, supposedly security cameras, that capture your face, that capture your biometric information. That's supposed to be about security. But really what it's used for is to enforce these various bands that Jim Dolan has in place. So this is incredibly important to him.

Yeah. Should a family of four, parents, a couple of kids, they go to the game, should they worry about being surveilled? I mean, are they going to be marked? They're absolutely going to be categorized in this facial recognition day debate. That's definitely going to happen. Should they be worried about it? Look, unfortunately, this kind of information capture is happening all over the place, all over the time. And right now we heard from the NICS organization, Madison Square Garden. I shouldn't say in the NICS. The Madison Square Gardeners, they're saying that they deny all the reporting and that they're going to seek legal remedies. Your thoughts on that? They're very litigious, and so I hope they don't. Right. But we've done a series of reports now on Madison Square Garden and security practices, and they've all stood up to scrutiny. I'm curious because you know, you go to Madison Square Garden.

Does this usually happen when you walk in or is it when you're sitting there? Do we know when it happens? It can happen in both ways. First of all, any time you enter the garden, you're going to get your face captured. Okay. That's 100% going to happen. Then there's a series of cameras throughout the garden that can follow you based on what that initial camera finds. Wow, incredible.

Okay, Noah Shackman, you can read in the Wired. Thanks so much for being here. This is crazy, crazy reporting. Coming up tonight here on Top Story, still a big win for American Farmers. now finally allowed to fix their own machines. We're going to explain. We've stayed on this story for a while now. Plus, you've heard of no shirt, no service,

but now some tourists could get hit with fines. The rules rolling out in one popular Italian town. That's next. We're back now with the legal victory for American farmers. John Deere settling a case with the FTC following years of complaints that the company withheld critical repair resources, previously only available at dealerships. But farmers and advocates who have spent years five,

fighting this battle say they've heard promises like this before. Here's Allie Canal. Farmers can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on tractors and crucial equipment. But when those machines break down, they can't always fix the problem themselves. Even if we have to send it to the John Deere house, we're going to have to figure this one out. But now a new settlement with the Federal Trade Commission and five states could change that. Requiring John Deere to get farmers and independent repair shops access to many of the same repair tools as and software its own dealers use. Willie Cade is a longtime advocate for the right to repair movement.

The idea that if you buy a product, you should have access to the tools and information needed to fix it. Now that tractors are rolling computers, you need a computer to fix it, period. And to date, John Deere has withhold the complete set of tools to do that. Missouri corn and soybean farmer Jared Wilson knows that fight firsthand. We first spoke with him about this on his, Missouri farm last year. He says his combine once lost power during harvest, sitting idle for days as

technicians tried to find the problem. My soybean pods were literally splitting open and the soybeans were falling on the ground. Wilson says he could have physically installed the part that ultimately needed to be replaced, but did not have the information to identify the problem or the software to get the new part working. It costs tens of thousands of dollars and this is a commonplace thing that's happened in agriculture. Cade says he advised lawyers and Wilson. was a plaintiff in a separate class action lawsuit involving John Deere that settled earlier this year. The new settlement is designed to break down some of those barriers. For advocates like Cade, it's a positive first step. It's no longer a pinky promise. It's under the court's supervision.

Wilson, meanwhile, worries a settlement does not strictly define what deer can charge for those tools, potentially pricing some farmers out. So would you consider this a win for farmers? I think win is a pretty big word. In a statement, John Deere, called to the agreement good news for its customers, saying it formalizes the company's ongoing commitment to expanding access to diagnostic and repair tools. But advocates say the fight isn't over yet. We're a long way from being done. Allie Connell joins us now live on set. Allie, I'm glad we've kind of stayed on top of this story. This is happening as American farmers are feeling a lot of pressure. I mean, everything is expensive for Americans right now, but especially

with farmers. Yeah, think about everything going on, right? We have high interest rates. We have inflation, higher input costs for farmers, tariffs. I mean, this is a very difficult, fuel cost. It's a very difficult time for the entire industry. And that corn and soybean farmer, who we just heard from, he told me it's been, quote, incredibly draining. And he also brought up what maybe is a bigger question mark here, and that's the aging workforce. The average age of a U.S. farmer, it's pushing 60. And it's really hard for a lot of young farmers to get their foot in the door because it's very expensive. So he said one of the easiest ways is for these young farmers to do everything on their own, and that includes these repairs. So this settlement, it isn't just about fixing a tractor,

right? It's about giving farmers more control over their costs and ultimately their businesses at a time when they're definitely feeling very squeezed. Yeah, Ali Kanao, we thank you for being here, and we thank you for that story. We're going to turn now to Top Stories Global Watch, check of what else is happening around our world. We're going to start with another massive fire, this time at a shoe factory in the Czech Republic. Watch as part of the building collapses. It sends a huge cloud of smoke and debris into the air. It's unclear what sparked that fire, but dozens of people were reportedly evacuated from the building. Luckily, no one was hurt in that one. And a Greek fighter jet making a crash landing at a busy airport on one of the country's islands. You can see the plane burning on the

runway. Emergency crews rushing to put out the fire. According to the military officials, the F-16 was on a training flight when it had some sort of technical issue. Investigators are still looking into what exactly happened. They say the pilot, though, is okay. And in northern Italy, one town is rolling out a new dress code aimed at cracking down on tourism. The rules were being rolled out in Verena, a popular spot on Lake Como. Now tourists could be fined more than $200 for walking around shirtless or in swimsuits. They're only allowed on beaches and out on the water looking that way. The mayor there says it's part of a broader effort to protect the quality of life in the town

which sees hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. And in the UK, far right member of parliament, Nigel Farage is in the fight of his political life against a man who dresses up as a trash can. He goes by the name Count Binface. You see him right here, and he is no stranger to British politics, running for mayor of London and parliament in the past. Here he is discussing his platform just last month. I'm going to reface the traffic lights on Liverpool Road.

I'll price cap wick and kebabs at two pounds. I'll make cyclists to disobey the highway card. Have to ride unicycles instead. I like that cyclist point right there. I want to get right to Sky News chief political correspondent John Craig, who did that interview with Count Binface. First, John, thank you so much for taking the time to come on our broadcast. We really do appreciate that. This plan by Nigel Farage spectacularly backfiring, right?

Walk us through what happened here in Parliament. Well, it looks like it's backfired for Mr. Farage. What happened was that he's under investigation by the parliamentary authorities over his financial affairs and critics are saying that to try and dodge the inquiry, the investigation, which could lead to him being suspended from Parliament, he's decided to resign his House of Common Seat, Clacton, which is in the east of England in Essex, and calls a by-election. Now, the problem he's faced is that the big parties just say it's a stunt. So there's no Labour candidate, the governing party, no Conservative, no Liberal Democrat, no Green Party candidate. No Green Party

candidate. It's just left. Count Binface, who as you say, dresses like a spaceman with what you would call a trash can. We call it a bin on his head. Now, there's one or two other candidates. There's also Pierce Corbyn. Now, he's a left winger who is the brother of the former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Lawrence Fox, a right-wing activist who is a part of the Fox acting dynasty. And there are also some independent candidates as well. It could back. backfire horribly on Mr Farage. Even if he wins it, of course, his opponents will say, look, he lacks authority. Now, you would probably say that BinFace is a classic English eccentric.

And as you've pointed out, really, we're quite used to eccentric standing in our elections here in the UK, both in parliamentary elections and also, as you've mentioned, the election for Mayor of London. When he stood against Sadie Khan, who you may know is the Labour mayor that Donald Trump is fiercely critical of, he actually got 24,000 votes, his best ever results. Now, Mr Farage, as you probably know, is a great friend of Donald Trump. And critics of Mr Farage here in the UK are saying, these tactics are straight out of the Donald Trump playbook. Get aggressive against your opponents, fight back.

concede nothing and never admit you've done anything wrong and just deny you've done anything wrong. That's what Mr Farage is doing, but he could come a cropper because of course there will be some supporters of the other political parties which are not standing who vote for Count Binface. Just to tell you a little bit about him,

he's actually an Oxford University graduate. He's a scriptwriter and comedian. He's a scriptwriter for some of the top satirical TV programmes. here in the UK. I guess if he was an American, he'd be writing for Saturday Night Live, your NBC show. So he's reasonably well known, but he's had such publicity. Ever since my interview with him, actually, which was at the by-election, which brought Andy Burnham, the likely next Prime Minister of the UK, back into Parliament. That got out 1.8 million views online, and of course he's just had an explosion of publicity, so much so.

that, well, you're interviewing me. Yeah, yeah. And John, you know, I want to add some context here for our viewers as well and to remind our viewers of a few things that have happened historically, right? In Ukraine, you have someone who was a comedian and an actor become their president and eventually their wartime president. You have this rejection of the traditional politician really starting, you could argue, with Donald Trump in recent history, right? So I say all this, and I give all this context, because does Count BinFace actually have a chance

with people across the globe rejecting traditional politics. Can they just say, you know what, let's just give this guy a chance because we're so sick of all these other lawmakers. Well, the bookmakers have shortened their odds. He was a rank outsider previously, but his price has come right down, and I think, say, something like 7 to 2 now. You mentioned Zelensky, and, I mean, to be fair to Zelensky, I mean, he's ditched the comedy, really, in his current job.

Of course, Donald Trump, of course, made his name as a TV star, didn't he? the, it was it the apprentice. Right. He, I mean, he was a TV star, really, and of course, a top businessman as well. We don't have many top business people in UK politics. We do have people who have come from showbiz or acting. For example, the person who Mr Farage beat to become MP for Clacton in 2024 was a former TV actor, a man called Giles.

Wattling. And so we do have people, I mean, there's been quite a few former actors in the British Parliament over the years, but I don't think we've ever had a comedian quite like Count Binface or Count Trashcan face, I guess you'd call them in America. And again, again, I want to be clear, I wasn't comparing Count Binface to Zelensky and or President Trump, just saying that there's, you know, they're not your traditional politicians. John, I can promise you one thing, and you can never guarantee anything in politics. If Count BinFace wins, you will be live again on top story here in the United States. So we thank you so much for that.

And maybe we will talk to you again in the very near future. Great interview. And again, thank you for your time. That would be a pleasure. Thank you. All right. When we come back tonight here, remembering Bonnie Tyler, the 80 singer behind iconic hits like Total Eclipse of the Heart, stay with us. We're back now with our NBC News series, Business in America, where we speak to CEOs of some of the big. biggest companies in the U.S.

Tonight, our Savannah Sellers, goes one-on-one with Levi's CEO Michelle Gass, what the first female head of the company has in store for the jeans giant. Inside this nondescript building is a cutting edge, classified research and development facility for jeans. According to the internet, this place is quite secretive. It is, and you're in it. It is the pinnacle of denim innovation. That's Levi's CEO, Michelle Gass.

who's been with the gene juggernaut for three years. She's the first female CEO in the company's 170-year history. And this is Levi's Eureka Innovation Lab, named for the brand's first customers, gold rush miners. Fans of the rivets Levi Strauss added to pants to reinforce them, creating the blue gene and fashion history on May 20th, 1873. Here, the company stone washes, lasers, embroidered, and dreams up your favorite day.

from construction workers to farmers, to students, to entrepreneurs, tech innovators, celebrities, rock stars, you name it. How do you maintain relevancy to span generations, types of people, types of interests? It's always important to know who you are and where you're from, and we have such a rich, deep heritage and legacy. But we've never stood still. Never stood still. Hundreds and hundreds of people who have worn Levi's and done pretty incredible things. That's no exaggeration. From Marilyn Monroe to Elvis Presley, Carolyn Beset to the boss's back pocket, and from Cowboys to Cowboy Carter. Beyonce shouting at Levi's in her lyrics and rocking them too. These are the jeans that Beyonce wore when we did the campaign with her last year.

Stop it. These are Steve Jobs jeans. It was part of his uniform, and this is a pair from the 1980s. Wow. Pieces hold from their on-site archive, like the oldest pair of jeans, 153 years to be exact, so special. They're stored in a fireproof safe. But just because the company preserves its past doesn't mean they aren't looking to the future. How are you using AI here at Levi's?

I'm a big believer in AI. Our designers, an example, are using AI tools. to help them broaden their innovation, improve their capacity, increase their creativity. Is that being embraced by the people who work on your creative teams? It is. And for us, I think that's a really important point

because we are a brand about authenticity, about craft. But if this can be a tool to help our teams think broader or lead to that next idea, then we absolutely should use it. So it's not a replacement at all. An asset as the company leans into what gas calls the head-to-toe denim lifestyle, expanding beyond pants into shirts, sweaters, and more.

You're going to find all kinds of great denim skirts, and we're continuing to evolve them. We're still underserving the female consumer. It's not even 40% of our business, and we'll do a lot of shopping. That particular stat, a point of focus for gas, as she aims to take the company from nearly $7 billion a year in revenue to $10. One strategy? Open more of their own stores and sell directly to the customer. and she's doing it all in her uniform of sorts.

What's it like to work at a place where it's almost expected to be in denim? Oh my God, it's the best. I don't have to think about what I wear every day. It's really fun to go to conferences. Yeah, exactly. I stand out because I'm always head to toe looking like that. Savannah Sellers, NBC News. All right, Savannah Sellers for Savannah, we thank you for that.

Finally tonight, remembering 80s hitmaker Bonnie Tyler, the Grammy-nominated singer known for her song, Total Eclipse of the Heart, passing away at 7. 75 are Ann Thompson on how her music transcended generations. Bonnie Tyler said she never expected to be making records, but what a record she made. Total eclipse of the heart, the quintessential 80s power ballads. Overwrought, raspy, and ultimately irresistible, bringing Tyler the first of three Grammy nominations and place in pop culture, transcending generations, covered in the movie Old School, and TV

show Glee, resurrected for eclipses. Everybody loves to do it. I don't know why, because it's not an easy song to sing. The song, bookended by hits, It's a Heartache, and holding out for a hero in footloom. Bonnie Tyler was born Gaynor Hopkins in Wales. She started singing in her teens, later marrying Robert Sullivan. In 1976, surgery for vocal cord nodules left her with her signature, gravelly voice. Often compared to Rod Stewart, today he called Tyler a true soul stirrer.

Kevin Bacon of Footloose fame remembered her as one of the great voices of rock. Tyler was named a member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to music. Those services ending at age 75. Ann Thompson, NBC News. We thank Ann for that look back, and we thank you for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yamis in New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.