Top Story with Tom Llamas - Thursday, June 26, 2025

Episode Date: June 27, 2025

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

Tonight, severe storms unleashed tornadoes and flash floods as extreme weather threatens millions. New twisters touching down in the heartland, an unexpected tornado tossing this home with a woman inside. Water spouts whipping across Louisiana as flash floods wash out roads in New Mexico, and the fireball in the sky did a meteorite streak across the southeast. Also tonight, inside the B-2 bombing, the new video of those bunker buster devices being tested and looming questions did a roll. Iran move uranium before the strikes, what the White House is saying now. A breaking at Brad Pitt's home, thieves scaling a fence, ransacking the place and taking off with several items. What we know about the search for the suspects.

Dash cam video capturing the moment a semi-truck strikes a worker in a utility bucket, leaving him dangling mid-air. Beach umbrella danger, a lifeguard impaled on the Jersey Shore, the new photo from her hospital bed, and the tool to keep you and your family safe this summer. Close call in Utah, falling rocks, narrowly missing swimmers at an iconic waterfall. And it's the end of an era at Vogue, editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, stepping down after nearly four decades, her legacy, and who will take the coveted spot? Plus, the NBA draft pick brought to tears after his hoop dreams came true.

His incredible story, the incredible moment, top story right now. And good evening. On the air, we're tracking severe weather across the country, tornadoes tearing across the Midwest, the South dealing with flash floods, and millions reeling from scorching heat. New video just in a possible tornado touching down in southern Minnesota. You can see it there perfectly. The towering funnel cloud ripping across a field. And near the Minnesota, Iowa border, sirens are blaring as those dangerous and massive dark clouds swirl above. It comes just hours after a tornado in Florida lifted this home off the ground. Look at that. on its side before crashing back down, a woman telling us her mother was inside there at the time. And a driver nearby filming herself in the crosshairs of this twister, debris floating in the air,

an electrical explosion overhead. In southwest Louisiana, water spout spitting up over a boat, hardware on the deck just flying off it. And in New Mexico tonight, stunning images of flash flooding floodwatch is now in place for the south, the plains, and the Midwest. A punishing week of weather underscored by nearly 150 high heat records across the country. Our man Bill Cairns is standing by with where these dangerous systems are headed next. But we want to start with Shaq Brewster in Chicago as the Midwest races for another night of Mother Nature's Fury. New video tonight of a funnel cloud racing across the farmland in southern Minnesota. Warning sirens activated as one storm chaser captured these frightening

images of a tornado on the move. The severe weather threat in the Midwest coming less than 24 hours after doorbell video captured a tornado ripping through Largo, Florida. And then this, one of the homes, lifted right off its foundation. A 76-year-old woman inside, according to her daughter. In the video, you can hear the home crashing back down. John, I'm in a tornado. I'm in a tornado. That same system captured in cell phone video where you can see a cloud of debris swirling in the air.

The woman recording it racing to get away. There's a tornado going around. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Thankfully, according to local police, no serious injuries, but the scope of the physical damage from this storm, obvious in overhead images. The early summer severe weather,

bringing this wild water spout to leave ill Louisiana this morning and flash flooding to New Mexico today. All as 76 million people are facing heat advisories tonight, part of a record wave that's set close to 150 new daily highs. Really hot. The extreme heat, life-threatening. The death of North Texas postal worker Jacob Taylor now under investigation. He collapsed Saturday while on his route in Dallas, where the heat index reached 99 degrees.

And in South Carolina, 61-year-old Mitch Huggins was umpiring a youth softball tournament Saturday afternoon when he passed out. His sister said he died from heat stroke at the hospital. They said he was telling them it's hotter. That heat was not a good day for nobody. That heat has been so dangerous for days. Shaq Brewster joins us tonight from Chicago. Shaq, let's start with the damage in Minnesota and those twisters that apparently seem to be touching down.

Yeah. Yeah, and police tell us there was some damage on the ground from what they are calling a tornado. Damage in the forms of down trees, down power lines, about 100 people in one town without power. Unfortunately, you have many people in different pockets of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, facing the threat of more severe weather as we go into the evening, Tom. And then, Shaq, I want to ask you about where you are Chicago, according to our notes here, the heat index, more than 100 degrees. How are people dealing with the high temps?

We see those kids are trying to cool off there behind you. Yeah, it got really hot today, Tom, and you saw areas like this behind me. These splash pads, beaches, waterfronts were completely full today. People trying to do it they can to stay out of the heat and to stay as cool as possible. Fortunately, there is some relief coming to. much of the country. But as you saw in Minnesota, that also increases the threat of some of that severe weather, which is something that we'll be watching through the evening and into tomorrow, Tom. Yeah, and we're going to keep talking about this now. We thank you, Shaq. I want to get right over

to the forecast with NBC News meteorologist Bill Karens. Bill, walk our viewers through what you're watching tonight, where it's really dangerous. Yeah, we have a couple areas of concern. We have that tornado watch that's in areas of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Severe thunderstorm watch down to Kansas City. And then in the east, we also have this severe thunderstorm watch that covers Washington, D.C., all the way up to Philadelphia. So, first stop is in that tornado watch. We have had two tornadoes reported today, one on Interstate 35, joining south towards Iowa. Another one just to the north of Fort Dodge, Iowa. Not a lot of damage reported with either of those, thankfully. And we're just watching some strong thunderstorms edge than lacrosse. As we head to

the east, we do expect some wind damage, possible power outages along I-95, severe thunderstorms just outside of Baltimore, heading towards the south side of Philadelphia, in between here on 9.95, those storms will roll through in about the next hour. The other spot with severe thunderstorms at this hour, everyone's inside in Oklahoma City, a ton of lightning with these storms from wind gusts and some large hail also possible with those, Tom. It has been such a violent summer so far when it comes to the weather. I do want to ask you, we've been having that heat here in the northeast. Any relief? It feels like we're getting a little bit here. What about the rest of the country? Yeah, not everyone. It was like 95 today in Philadelphia,

New York City was like 70s. So that's where the barrier was in the separation. A lot of our heat The state advisors are being dropped in D.C. because tomorrow is going to be cooler. No such luck, though, from Mississippi, northwards all the way up through Illinois to summer heat continues tomorrow. It's still humid. It's still hot. It's not record-breaking, but it's still going to be extremely warm. And this will continue, Tom. We're going to see things pretty warm all the way into July. No huge relief in sight, but also no record-breaking heat either. All right, Bill Karens for us, Bill. We thank you for that. In the southeast people reporting a mysterious fireball. Have you heard about this? It was seen streaking through the sky. say it's no UFO, probably a meteorite, or maybe even just space junk. NBC's Jesse Kirsch has the striking video and more on the aerial phenomenon. Out of nowhere, South Carolina's sunny blue skies got even brighter. A fireball shooting across the southeastern U.S. spotted around midday from the Carolinas to Florida. Just a huge ball of fire just literally fell out of the sky.

Did y'all see it? The fireball that just fell like from the sky. Garrett Thrift was driving with his daughter when he saw the bright flash. It sounds like when you see this go across the sky, there is part of you that's worried what's going on. Oh, yeah, for sure. I mean, that's definitely not something you see every day. In Georgia, officials say someone reported that a rock fell through their ceiling, as people thought they were experiencing an earthquake. So what are we looking at? The National Weather Service says this appears to be a meteor or space junk, which even showed up on satellite-based lightning detection. The American Meteor Society says it's received around 150 reports.

So many people felt it. Their windows rattled, their doors rattled. They heard a rumble. And that's what generates this interest. It's trying to see the cross. Boom. Bright, bright, flash. Whatever it was, the surprise offering a potential bright spot on an already sunny day.

Jesse Curris joins us tonight. Jesse, there's a meteor shower peaking tomorrow night. What should folks look out for? Well, unfortunately. Tom, according to the American Meteor Society, this is not a meteor shower that is likely to have strong activity. This type of meteor shower rarely has strong activity, according to that society. But if you're hoping to see this, hoping to get the best picture you can maybe to post online and become part of the next story about all of this stuff, NASA recommends getting away from the city, getting away from the lights. And even if you're using the camera, turn the brightness down so that your eyes can stay adjusted to the night sky.

Okay, good tip there, Jesse. We appreciate it. We're going to take a turn now. We're going to turn to the prosecution delivering closing arguments today in the trial of Sean Diddy Combs, arguing that Combs felt like his fame, his wealth, and his power put him above the law. Combs is accused of sex trafficking, racketeering, conspiracy, and transportation for prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. I want to bring in NBC News Entertainment correspondent, Chloe Malas, and Misty Mayer, as trial attorney and legal analysts, both were in the courtroom in downtown Manhattan today. Chloe, the prosecution taking five hours for closing arguments. What did they say?

Yeah, that was more than I expected. I thought it was going to be about four. I mean, they really hammered home each of the five counts that he's charged with with a very laborious PowerPoint presentation. I mean, they just went point by point and really zeroed in on the racketeering because that's the most serious charge. Misty and I were just talking about that before we came on. I mean, he faces life in prison if convicted on Rico alone.

They went through all of the predicate acts that they have to prove, and they only have to prove two of them, kidnapping. They showed three different alleged instances, bribery, transporting drugs across state lines. And it really was this light bulb moment for me. I don't know about you, that all they have to prove to jurors is that he had someone transport drugs two times. That's it, across state lines. And that right there is RICO. Misty, five hours, though. I mean, you've really got to have the jurors attention.

You were in there. You've done this. How do you rate how the prosecutors did? Tom, I think they did a really good job, but I'll tell you what makes a great trial lawyer. It's distilling it down to layman's terms. You're not stuck in the legalese. You're taking the elements of each charge, which are very difficult to understand. You're applying the evidence that was seen throughout the trial to those elements and telling the juror, this is why you should find Combs guilty. Now, that coupled with the visuals that they used and really simplifying what the jury needs to look at. Remember what this case was. Seven weeks, 30 plus witnesses, so many documents, financial records, text messages, emails, all of that.

What does it all mean? And what prosecutors wanted to do is say, don't get distracted by all of this other stuff. Look at the elements and look at what really matters. And they focused in on that. Chloe, you've been observing the jurors throughout this case. Were you watching them during closing arguments? Did they seem engaged? Absolutely. So, I mean, when you're looking at those 12 jurors today and then the five remaining alternates, some are falling asleep, right? Falling asleep during closing arguments. Yes. That can't be a good son.

Yes, but then others are taking notes, right? And there are some people who are over the age of 60, others who are younger. It's a diverse jury pool. What is their attitude going to be towards consent? Are they going to believe that Jane and Cassie Ventura were forced into those freak-offs? And a big question for me is they named a lot of people as co-conspirators in this alleged criminal enterprise, but none of the co-conspirators were part of the trial. None of them testified, which I thought was a real head scratcher. Misty, we know the defense didn't call any witnesses.

What do they have to do in closings tomorrow? So in closings tomorrow, they have to hit some of those issues, just like Chloe said to me when you're talking about RICO. They have to look at what the charges require from prosecutors. There has to be a conspiracy. I would say, where are the co-conspirators? I only see one person at that defense table. Why weren't they charged? Why didn't prosecutors put them on the stand. You never heard from them. Insufficient. And then I would also speak to that criminal enterprise element and say, well, you're talking about the Combs enterprise, per the prosecutors. Well, that's just an individual person. It has to be something distinct from that. And with respect to the sex trafficking charges, you're going to see a lot of those text messages which tend

to show consent. Remembering this is an intent crime. Diddy has to have intended to coerce these women into the freakoffs through forced fraud or coercion. And when you see the messages and they say, can't wait for the FO, what the defense is going to say is, well, you know what, even if they in their heart of hearts didn't want to do it, he wouldn't have known. Real quick, Misty, what do you think's going to happen here? Are you thinking there may be sort of a surprise verdict? Well, I think the Mann Act, that's transportation to engage in prostitution has been proved by leaps and bounds by prosecutors. But when it comes to the sex trafficking, Cassie Ventura's case is a bit stronger than Janes. Enrico, to me,

still falls short. Okay, guys. I can't wait to talk to you as closing's happened tomorrow for the defense. We thank you for being here. In Washington tonight, President Trump is on the defensive amid questions about the effectiveness of his strikes against Iran's nuclear program. His defense secretary, Pete Heggseth, insisting the attacks were devastating as the whereabouts of Iran's enriched uranium remains uncertain. Gabe Gutierrez at the White House for us tonight. Tonight, the Pentagon revealing new details of that secretive mission, the B-2 bomber crews that targeted nuclear sites with 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs. When the crews went to work on Friday, they kiss their loved ones goodbye, not knowing when

or if they'd be home. The chairman of the Joint Chief saying it was 15 years in the making, showing footage of the bombs being tested, saying it all went according to plan. The weapons all guided to their intended targets. Anyone with, you know, two eyes, some ears in a brain, can recognize that kind of firepower with that specificity at that location and others is going to have a devastating effect. It all comes after a leaked initial assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency suggested Iran's nuclear program was set back by just months. But the agency also saying it had low confidence

in its initial findings. Well, today, the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said the Iranian nuclear program has suffered enormous damage and centrifuges at the Ford O site are no longer operational. The Joint Chiefs Chairman revealing the B2 pilot's own description of their nighttime missions impact. The pilots stated, quote, this was the brightest explosion that I've ever seen. It literally looked like daylight. Despite images showing trucks outside a nuclear site the day before, today the president insisted Iran did not move any uranium.

How can the president be so sure that no uranium was moved? We were watching closely, and there was no indication to the United States that any of that enriched uranium was moved prior to the strike. Gabe Gutierrez joined us tonight from the White House. busy day there in Washington, Gabe. We're also learning about a new plan tonight to limit intelligence sharing with Congress. Yeah, that's right, Thomas. Senior White House official tells NBC News that the administration now plans to limit intelligence sharing with lawmakers after that early damage assessment leaked. Specifically, the administration plans to post less

information on a system utilized to share classified material with Congress. Now, lawmakers were able to view the initial assessment and the secure location at the Capitol that's known as a And today, President, excuse me, press secretary Caroline Levitt said the administration did not want classified intelligence ending up in irresponsible hands. Now, Tom, this afternoon, senators did have their classified briefing on the strikes after it had been postponed earlier in the week. Tom. Gabe Gutierrez, first, Gabe, we thank you. Tonight, Trump Mobile is backing off a signature promise of their new cell phone. The company originally claiming the phone would be, quote, made in the USA, but the phone's website,

now calls it an American proud design. The reference to where the phone is manufactured has been removed. It comes amid doubts the company could manufacture the phones in the United States for its current price of $499. The president today also making a major push for his so-called big, beautiful bill hosting a White House event today with everyday Americans administration says will benefit from this legislation. But the package has hit a snag. The Senate parliamentarian ruling portions of the bill, including some cuts to Medicaid or against Senate rules.

It comes as a CDC advisory committee voted to effectively remove a preservative from the flu shot. The move would effectively remove only a limited number of the shots from circulation, but marks another win for the anti-vax activists. To walk us through all of this, our Chief Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles joins us live tonight. Ryan, let's start with the budget fight there on the Hill tonight, and the parliamentarian rejecting some of these Medicaid cuts, but she's not the only one taking issue with those selections of the bill. Right now, a number of Republican senators.

here they are, are either not a yes yet or firmly a no on this bill. Many of them concerned about the impacts Medicaid cuts will have on their voters. How confident are Republican leaders that they'll be able to get this bill over the finish line before Trump's July 4th deadline and do us a favor here? Walk us through what a parliamentarian does there in the Senate. Yeah, a parliamentarian, Tom, the best way to think of her as the referee of the Senate. She's the one that calls the balls and strikes and make sure that the Senate is operating under the rules that they've established for themselves.

And normally it takes 60 votes to pass any sort of legislation through the Senate. But there's a very special provision called reconciliation where they can reconcile the budget with only 51 votes. So it's her job to make sure that this legislation falls within the parameters of reconciliation. And she has found a number of provisions in the House-passed bill and this new version that the Senate is tweaking that don't fall under that jurisdiction. And so what Senate Republicans are doing now is they're tweaking the language. they believe that these are just technical issues that they can get through, but there are portions of the bill that are ultimately just going to be scrapped, and then they'll try and pass the bill in its current form. Right now, the sense from Senate Republican leaders that I'm talking to is that it's not a matter of if, but when, and perhaps this is going to take a little bit longer than they originally intended. They'd hope to vote on this package time as soon as tomorrow. It's looking more now like it's going to track into the weekend and maybe even early next week. But even if that's the case, there's still a reasonable amount of confidence that once the Senate passes it, it will go right to the House

and could be passed in time for the 4th of July holiday, which is, of course, their own self-imposed deadline time. Yeah, and then, Ryan, while I have you here, I do want to ask you about that CDC advisory panel vote, effectively removing a small number of flu vaccines. Walk us through what we know right now and what that could mean for other vaccines. Are they in the crosshairs? Yeah, so this is a key ingredient called thermosol. As you're right, it's not necessarily in a wide range of flu vaccines. Most people will still have access to the flu vaccine. It's really more about what this precedent that's been set will mean for vaccines going forward. And it really is diametrically opposed to what Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told

senators when he was confirmed as the HHS secretary, that he would not get in the way of people's access to vaccines, that it was more just about educating people about what vaccines are in the process that they go through to get approved. This is actually yanking a whole section of these flu vaccines off the market. There is a concern. among the health community that this could lead to a closer scrutiny of other vaccines and perhaps would make vaccines much more difficult to get along a wide spectrum of vaccines in the future, Tom. Ryan Nobles for us tonight.

Ryan, a lot of reporting there. We appreciate that. A head on top story, the beach umbrella warning. The new image is just out of the lifeguard that was impaled by a wayward beach umbrella on the Jersey shore. What your family needs to know to stay safe. The Bezos wedding bash, celebrities descending on Venice for the wedding of the decade. everyone from Trump family members to the Kardashians,

how the city is preparing and managing some backlash. And the end of an era at Vogue, legendary editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, stepping down. What's next for her and the empire she built? One thought I had was enamel, bangles, pendants, earrings. No, we did that two years ago. What else?

Um, well, they're showing a lot of florals right now, so I was thinking I could do it. For spring. Groundbreaking. Groundbreaking. That was the clip from The Devil Wears Prada inspired by a legendary leader in the fashion industry making major news tonight. Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, who told staff today she will be taking a step back from her leadership role at American Vogue after nearly 40 years at the helm. Wintour will stay on in her other capacities as Kondo-NAS' Global Chief Content Officer and Global Editorial Director at Fogue. Joining us to talk about Anna's legacy and journalist Amy O'Dell, author of the New York Times best-selling biography, Anna, and the new book, Gwyneth, coming out later this summer.

You can also follow her on Substack Back Row. Very cool. So, Amy, I'm going to ask you, what does this mean? This is a historic day for fashion and for media. Anna Wintour has been the editor. in chief of American Vogue since 1988. That's 37 years. And in that tenure has been the most powerful person in the fashion industry. So it's a really big deal, even though she is staying on at Conne Nast, in her capacity as a global editorial director for all international editions of Vogue and chief content officer for Connie Nass. We rolled Devilswear, the Devil Wears brought it. Is that a sort of a fair caricature of her? It's a very fair caricature of her, I have to say the one difference that I will know, the primary difference that I see between that, you know, portrayal of her and how I was told by the many people I interviewed that she actually behaves in the office.

She's not, she doesn't have bad manners. Manners are very, very important to Anna Wintour, and we see this even in the way that she regards guests who come to the MEC gala. She expects them to be there engaging in conversation, not looking at their phones. So manners are very important to her. She wouldn't come in at throw her coat on the desk. She's very direct. How would you explain to somebody, like say me, who doesn't understand maybe fashion like you do? What was her impact? Like what, what things did she do or did she see or did she sort of forecast, if you will, in the fashion industry that made her such a powerhouse? Yeah. I think that Anna Winter's influence really spans so many different industries. Fashion, yes, but also politics, technology, sports. Serena Williams told me when I was reporting the book, that when she was struggling with tennis, she called Anna. Wow.

And asked for advice and then went on to win a grand slam. What's the story with the sunglasses? She actually has very bad eyesight in their prescription, and she misplaces them all the time, and her friends have her glasses all over their houses. But it's a look, too. It's absolutely a look. Same with her hair, which she hasn't changed since the 1960s. Since the 60s, she's had that cut.

She got the bob. Well, it is an iconic Bob from Swinging London. Because you know your fashion history. I'm sure you know that. Right. Yes. So she got it done that and she hasn't really changed it. So, you know, sometimes we see these very powerful media moguls, and they say we're stepping down or I'm retiring, but they don't really step down. They don't really retire.

They're still very involved. What do you think happens here? I think it's very notable that she is in a position where she's picking her successor for American Vogue. She's going to still be at Kande Nast overseeing that person and influencing what they do with the magazine. So if she does leave her job entirely at Condi and asked at some point, she will have set Vogue up the way that she would like for it to be after she does take that step. And then what do you think about the person who's taking over? We don't know who that person is. Unknown.

My educated guess would be that it will be someone in the Vogue family. So someone in another job at Vogue right now, I'm hearing early rumblings of names being bandied about right now. But I would be very surprised just based on the history of successions at Vogue if it was a total outsider. Okay. Amy, we thank you so much for being here. Thank you. Yeah. Coming up on Top Story, The Break-in at Brad Pitt's home, thieves scaling a fence, busting a window, and ransacking the actor's house in Los Angeles.

It's the latest in a wave of celebrity robberies. Plus, from refugee to basketball's biggest stage, tears flowing at the NBA draft for a player whose dream was nearly denied. We'll have his incredible story. But first, top stories moment of the day, and this one is a special Today Show, co-anchor, Al Roker, being honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award last night at the 2025 News and Documentary Emmy Awards. Al, who has been a part of the Today Show since 1996, accepted the award, thanking the person who has supported him the most. Take a look.

And I have been blessed to be married to someone who makes me a better journalist, a dad, a person. She is an Emmy winner, a Peabody and Pulitzer Prize winner, Deborah Roberts, the co-anchor of ABC News 2020. Actually, earlier she pointed out to me, they don't always save the best for less because she was already given her award. And so while I am thankful for an Emmy, I'm even happier that I have a Debbie.

Al Roker always reminding to us why he is the man. He was presented this honor by former today host, Brian Gumbull. We congratulate Al on the well-deserved accomplishment. He is an incredible broadcaster, an incredible dude. Stay with us. We are back in just a moment. We're back now with a very serious situation developing out of Gaza, a growing number of people being killed while going to distribution points

to get desperately needed aid. Doctors are calling the sites, quote, death traps. Richard Engel has the latest, and we want to warn you, these images are graphic. At the Nick Unit in Nasser Hospital in Gaza, Aya is just four days old, born premature, suffering liver failure, and totally reliant on formula, which is in short supply. We're relying on the supplies that we have extremely limited. They're rationing every day. Doctors here, including several visiting American volunteers, say Gazans are starving because Israel, which controls all access to Gaza only lets in a trickle of food, and that getting to it can be deadly.

It's a common term. It's a death trap. It's a slaughterhouse. The doctors here say almost every day they treat dozens of Gazans, wounded while trying to reach aid distribution sites run by an Israeli and American-backed group called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, set up to replace the UN and ensure that aid is not stolen by Hamas. But human rights groups say the new system has a fatal flaw. As desperate Gazans rush for supplies, many have been shot at by Israeli troops. 410 killed this month, according to the UN. Doctors here say 14-year-old Fahad was killed while trying to collect food. The boy was brought back to Nasser Hospital along with the empty bag he'd hoped to fill

and take back to his family. And while our team was filming, this boy was brought in. His name is Jihad. His family says he was shot by Israeli forces while collecting water. Can you ask him to lift his leg? Can you lift his leg? Okay, so left leg weakness and decrease sensory sensation. So we're suspecting a spinal cord injury.

The doctors say he has a bullet by his spine. They worry he may never walk again. The Israeli military says it does not fire on civilians at those aid sites, but has acknowledged that soldiers have targeted individuals who approach them appear threatening or are in unauthorized areas. Tom. And our thanks to Richard and our teams in Gaza for that report. Time now for Top Stories News Feed. We start with the Supreme Court ruling back here at home for South Carolina, bolstering it's

called the defund Planned Parenthood. The court saying Medicaid patients can't sue for the right to pick a medical provider. The ruling enforcing the state's abilities to keep Planned Parenthood from gaining funding through Medicaid. The vote was six to three with the court's three liberal members in dissent. The unemployment rate for young college grads now outpaces the overall U.S. jobless rate, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. And for the first time in a dozen years, not including the coronavirus pandemic, the unemployment rate for individuals with degrees ages 22 to 27 is at its highest level. AP reporting that the rise concerns economists and Federal Reserve

officials noting it could elude to economic troubles. And two, Law Enforcement sources familiar with the situation telling NBC News the Los Angeles police are investigating a reported burglary at Brad Pitt's L.A. home. Those sources saying Pitt was not home and LAPD spokesperson confirming a break in a curb Wednesday night, the sources saying police are on the lookout for three suspects who allegedly climbed over a fence and broke through a front window. This comes following a string of burglaries in high-end Southern California neighborhoods in recent years. And a close call for a couple of tourists as Boulders plunged off a cliff near a popular swimming hole in Utah. Watch the calm moments as swimmers go underwater at

Lower Calf Creek falls before the rocks come tumbling down. While no one was harmed, land management officials say visitors should be on alert for more falling rocks. And the frightening moment a utility worker in Louisiana was struck by an 18-wheeler and it was all caught on tape. Dash cam video shows the moment the truck turns smashing into the worker, shattering the bucket as he was standing in. Thankfully, he was wearing his safety equipment, which likely saved his life. According to Denham Springs police, the man received minor injuries and was not hospitalized this happening near Baton Rouge. Okay, we want to turn out to our series of The Cost of Denial with an update on the victims

of those catastrophic wildfires in Southern California. Homeowners who suffered severe damages to their property left in limbo after they say the insurance adjusters who make reimbursement assessments keep changing. NBC's Liz Croix has more on the investigation into why that's happening. It's a house frozen in time. bread houses left on the kitchen table, a calendar still set to January. Makes me sad. Stephanie Newport's Altadena home hasn't changed since January 7th.

The day she evacuated from the Eaton fire, which you can see here burning through part of the house causing significant smoke damage, leaving her stuck in what she describes as an insurance nightmare. Sorry. I mean, my community is pretty much gone. I am very grateful that the house is still there. However, from an insurance standpoint, I think it would have been easier if it had burned. Newport's living room covered in layers of toxic ash and debris.

We've been to a lot of smoke damage home since the fires. This is, without a doubt, the worst that we've seen. The swimming pool, black. Newport, who is covered by State Farm, says her biggest challenge, her adjuster, the person responsible for managing her claim, keeps changing. In five months, she's been assigned not one, not two, but seven adjusters. Yeah. What does it like to get passed around and passed around like this? It's extremely frustrating. It's like starting over every single time.

NBC News also spoke to five other state farm policyholders impacted by the LA fires who describe a similar pattern. Just this month, California's Department of Insurance announced an investigation into state farms handling of fire related claims. The commissioner citing specifically the frequent reassignment of multiple adjusters with little continuity and communication. You think they're intentionally trying to stall. It feels that way. Newport says once an adjuster is taken off her claim, they completely disappear. Okay, so I'm going to try and call Stephanie's last adjuster to see if we can find out why he was taken off. It seems like this is a defunct extension now.

We're just getting kind of put in circles through automated voice message systems, not really able to get in touch with this guy. State Farm declined to comment directly on Newport's case. citing customer privacy, but said in a statement to NBC News, it has paid out more than $4.15 billion in response to the L.A. fires. And that when there are catastrophes of this size, it may mean that multiple team members assist with the customer's claim. In response to the state's investigation, the insurer says it is cooperating and that a review will find thousands of customers are very satisfied. Everything has felt like a fight. So far, Newport says State Farm has sent her about $140,000 dollars to fix her home. But an outside adjuster she hired to help with her claim says it would

cost more than 10 times that, based in part on testing that recommended the home be taken down to the studs. Of the seven adjusters, she feels only one has given her the whole truth. One of them had said, don't let them tell you no, just keep pushing because they're hoping you're going to give up. But I'm not giving up. All right, Liz Quince joins us now in studio. So Liz, tell our viewers what happened when you started asking questions. Yeah. So Stephanie says she hadn't heard from State Farm in more than three weeks. But then just this week, days after NBC News reached out to ask about her claim, she said she was contacted by the insurer,

and they're now offering to pay her an additional $54,000 to fix her pool and also to conduct that critical testing of her home, which is something she had been asking for for months, Tom. All right, Liz Croyd's getting results. We appreciate that. There's an urgent warning for beachgoers this summer. A lifeguard in New Jersey was hospitalized after being impaled by a beach umbrella. NBC's Julie Circon has this look at the new safety standard

that could keep your umbrella safely tied down. A picturesque day on the Jersey shore, beachgoers taking cover from the hot summer sun, all shattered in a moment. 3-16-1, the umbrella is in the left arm pit. After a 19-year-old lifeguard in Asbury Park was stabbed by her own beach umbrella. She said, I got impaled by the umbrella.

First responders rushing to the scene, power tools in hand. They need that bandfall for sure down here. cut the umbrella on both ends so they could remove that part of it. It was pretty ugly, but I said, I think she's going to be fine from it. It's a story all too familiar for Ed Quigley. An umbrella is a javelin with a sail attached. Ed nearly died after being struck in the eye by a rogue beach umbrella in 2015.

In brain surgery, I died on the operating table. Took them 23 minutes and seven cycles with those shock paddles bring me back. Since that day, he's made it his mission to improve beach umbrella saving. Everyone's just shocked that this is a thing that happens so regularly. I think the first question to ask is, did you ever see an umbrella blowing down the beach? Everyone has. Well, if everyone's seen it, then everyone's been in a potential danger situation. Now, as installing these warning signs at beaches up and down the east coast,

like here in Wildwood, New Jersey, pointing beachgoers to a new voluntary safety standard for beach umbrellas from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. safety commission. So over two years, they tested beach umbrellas on beaches and in wind tunnels and developed the scientific data to say this is what you need to keep an umbrella secure. And basically what it is is an anchor device that provides 75 pounds of resistance to lift, which is what the wind does. We asked the expert, Ed, to show us how to set one up with an anchor. This is actually the anchor.

The umbrella goes through the center. It's a little more involved than what you might be used to. So then you attach two sides of this triangle. Grab your little shovel. We want to take this other loop up here and then we just finish it off a little bit on the sides. Put your umbrella on it as normal and open your umbrella. The result? Shade. That's much safer. safer.

Now, if anybody tries to lift this umbrella, it's about 120 pounds. So it's not going anywhere. Compare that to an umbrella without an anchor. Now how difficult is it to pull this umbrella out without the anchor? Nothing at all. Ed says at beaches he's been to this summer, these types of anchors are not common yet. I look forward to maybe another 10 years. I don't know if I'd last that long, looking out and just seeing every umbrella with an anchor device on it.

He's hoping to get the word out so that injuries like his never happen again. Julie Serkin, NBC News, Wildwood, New Jersey. All right, we thank Julie for that great report. Coming up on Top Story, the latest on the star-studded Bezos wedding. Our Molly Hunter in Venice tonight, as guests arrive ahead of the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez. She gives us a glimpse into where the billionaire will say, I do. And is Marge Simpson really dead? What? The Simpson season finale that has blown the minds of Springfield residents everywhere, what the show's producers are saying to freaked out fans.

We're back now with Top Stories Global Watch. We start in Ecuador where authorities have recaptured a notorious drug lord one year after he escaped from prison. Video shows officers capturing Jose Adolfo Macias, also known as Fito, in an underground bunker where he'd been hiding beneath a luxury home. The 45-year-old is the top leader of Ecuador's Los Conneros gang, which violently dominates the country's cocaine trade alongside Mexico's Sinaloa cartel. Macias will be extradited to the U.S. to face drug trafficking and firearm smuggling charges. And today, officials across Myanmar destroying nearly 300.

million dollars worth of illegal drugs. Take a look at this. The video shows the drugs going up in flames, and it comes one month after UN experts warned the region was producing and trafficking unprecedented levels of methamphetamines. The massive piles of destroyed drugs include opium, ketamine, heroin, and marijuana. And a stunt climber known around the globe as the French Spider-Man spotted in the skies of Barcelona. Alain Robert, illegally scaling a nearly 400 foot skyscraper with no ropes, harness, or safety equipment. The 62-year-old, yes, he's 62, made waves for his stunts last climbing the same skyscraper in 2023 in a bid to raise awareness for climate change and drought. In a nod to the times, though, he says this stunt

is meant to highlight the launch of his crypto coin. Stayed overseas in Europe, celebrities are descending on Venice as wedding festivities officially kickoff for billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez. NBC's Molly Hunter checked out the venues where the events are taking place and spoke to the city to learn more about how it's getting ready. Tonight, Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos and his bride to be Lauren Sanchez stepping into a water taxi on the Grand Canal. Hi, Lauren!

Kicking off the first night of their three-night wedding extravaganza, lapping up the attention after weeks of speculation and rumors about the venues and guestless. But tonight, all smiles, even answering a lot. shouted question from a speedboat full of photographers. Look at you, what's an impossible city that can't exist, and yet here it is. An impossible floating city that's been bracing for the arrival of around 200 of Bezos and Sanchez's closest friends. Sponded today, Bill Gates, the Kardashians, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Brady, even Usher has arrived in the Lagoon City,

along with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. And the Wall Street Journal reporting, President Trump was also invited to the Venetian bash, but not attending due to scheduling conflicts. Dressed to the nines, pals Oprah Winfrey and Gail King piling into their own water taxi tonight with Orlando Bloom. Tonight's welcome party takes place at the cloisters behind the Madonna del Orto. We stopped by earlier today. Preparations were underway, security already in place. So why is this, though, good for a party? Because you're out of the way. You are quiet. It's very private. and from my point of view is one of the best part of the city actually is the city ready for this

yeah of course we are used to manage very important events even more more more complicated than this wedding so the Pope visit with thousands of thousand people going around the city G20 G7 a lot of different wedding even more with more people involved than this wedding in recent weeks there have been small but rowdy protests but the deputy mayor sees them as opportunity I think they saw a lot of tele cameras, a lot of paparazzi, and a lot of visibility and attention from the worldwide network, and they say, okay, let's exploit this attention. The main organizers, no space for Bezos, hanging a banner on the famous Rialto Bridge, unfurling a sign in St. Mark Square, if you can rent Venice for your wedding at Red, you can

pay more tax. Today, flying a banner off a flagpole, the 1% ruins the world. And floating an inflatable Jeff Bezos in an Amazon box down a canal. But most Venetians we met not all that bothered, meeting this mother and daughter in the residential neighborhood near the Arsenae. Personally, me very happy. She's happy also because Jeff Bezos donate like $2 million here, and so Venice can do a lot of work. And in the face of backlash, Bezos and Sanchez hoping their hefty investment this week,

and gives back to a city they love so much. Tom, and it is a hefty investment outside the hotels and the venues and, of course, all the local vendors. That donation that woman was talking about, well, it is now 3 million euros to three local institutions, one, a research organization that looks into the ecosystem of the lagoon, the second UNESCO's local office, and the Venice International University. As far as those protests are concerned, we haven't heard about any interruption to tonight's event. It is just starting to rain and thunderstorm. I hope they are underneath some rain cover. But the next real action day for No Space for Bezos is scheduled for Saturday. Tom. And tonight, many fans

of America's beloved animated family, The Simpsons, still grieving instead of laughing after the season finale, appeared to kill off Marge Simpson, well, at least for now. NBC Stephen Romo has the story. They're the crazy extended family for so many of us who grew up watching the Simpsons. The chaotic household held together by Marge, the blue-haired pearl-wearing matriarch of the family. Homer, you encouraged him. You should be strangling yourself.

But in the season finale, the cherished cartoon character is laid to rest. Hi, I'll go kill Marge. The move leaving fans stunned. Cultural icon and the moral center of her family. Shocked. The entire world is talking about it. And confused that the show that has been a cultural force since debuted in 1989 would kill off one of the key members of the cast. I'm not going to have my son go to jail over some silly tiff with Australia.

In the finale episode of its 36th season, the cartoon flashes forward to see Bart and Lisa grow up and grow apart around the time of her death. Lisa, a powerhouse NBA commissioner. Thank you so much for sitting down with SheeO Magazine. And Bart running scams out of the family home. Okay, I've told a few fibs, but since when has fraud of crime? The show leaning into its penchant for fast forwards and alternate realities that has helped keep it relevant for so long. And some, even saying, predicting the future. Releasing this flash forward episode 25 years ago.

As you know, we've inherited quite a budget crunch from President Trump. Another episode seemingly predicting the Ocean Gate disaster. Showing Homer getting stuck underwater in a submersible. Flash forwards in popular animated shows have also sparked outpourings of fan confusion and panic in the real world. Just last year, kids show Bluey releasing a bonus episode showing the main character all grown up. Hi, Mom. Prompting fans to speculate the show might be ending, which producers had to quickly walk back. Meanwhile, Simpson's producers telling variety Marge is very much.

alive. After all, the show has been renewed through season 40. But for now, the afterlife comes with perks, as she lives happily ever after with her first love, Ringo Starr. Okay, Ringo. And I'm just so glad we're allowed to marry different people in heaven. Stephen Romo, NBC News. When Top Story returns, Hoop Dreams come true, the emotional and incredible moment at the NBA draft last night. The Duke University basketball star that pretty much brought the country to tears because he was moved to tears. His incredible journey from South Sudan to the NBA when we come back. Finally tonight, a dream come true at the NBA draft.

For months, the basketball world's attention has been focused on number one pick Cooper Flagg, but it was his Duke University teammate, Kaman Malawash, from South Sudan, whose incredible story stole the show. Here's NBC Sam Brock with more. The Houston Rocket select Kamen Malawatch from Roombak, South Sudan. Within seconds of the selection being announced, Duke Center Kamon Malawash was fighting back tears. For his family's led, conflict-ridden South Sudan. His face telling the story of an improbable path. The 7-2 star earning a spot at age 14 in a Senegal-based academy and dreaming of this day.

Living Africa, I had the whole continent of my back. giving hopes to young kids, inspiring young kids, and the next generation of African basketball. But Africa did not leave him. Players at the NBA Academy Africa erupting when Malawatch's name was read. We sat down with the 18-year-old back in April right in the midst of Duke's NCAA tournament run. Did you think I could be on that stage? I never really thought that. It never really crossed my mind.

We're playing for Duke. From Duke University. Today, he's celebrating in Brooklyn, but also awaiting a special visa reserved for pro athletes, something the NBA is working on after the White House recently revoked visas for South Sudanese. Malawatch hasn't left the country. He is an ideal example of what we are trying to do by servicing young, talented players around the world. That decision already paying dividends. Believing in myself that I'm going to make you to the NBA one day.

I'm hitting the NBA drive. And opening doors. Sam Brock joins us now. Sam, such an incredible story. And just for our viewers at home, he's not going to stay with Houston. No, no. So Houston ended up giving up a package of players and a pick to the Phoenix Suns for Kevin Durant. Big name in the NBA. Lo and behold, now the sons use that pick to draft Kamam Malawak. And I do want to point out, it's been a while since we've seen a motion like that from a professional player.

You wonder what type of endorsement deals this man's now going to get because he really has captured the hearts. of all of America. I talked to his agent. I'm working on that right now. We'll find out exactly. But to be honest with you, on a serious note, the sport has grown so much international. You can tell the path these players have had to tread to get to the NBA in the first place. That's why you see all the emotion. He is like case in point what we're talking about. Sam Brock, great story. Thanks for bringing it to us. Okay, thanks so much for watching Top Story. That does it for us tonight. I'm Tom Yamison, New York. Stay right there. More news on the way. Thank you.