80 million people are under heat alerts as a brutal heat wave persists, floodwaters have started to recede in Vermont, inflation slowed to 3 percent last month, President Biden and other NATO leaders vowed continued support for Ukraine, and police in Tennessee say a patient shot and killed an orthopedic surgeon in the doctor’s office.
Good Wednesday afternoon. 80 million people are under heat alerts as a brutal heat wave persists, floodwaters have started to recede in Vermont, inflation slowed to 3 percent last month, President Biden and other NATO leaders vowed continued support for Ukraine, and police in Tennessee say a patient shot and killed an orthopedic surgeon in the doctor’s office. Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown. |
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Dangerous heat wave will bring misery through the weekend |
This was another day of brutal summer heat for much of the country, with 80 million people under heat alerts from California to Florida, and the heat wave is expected to last through the weekend. Among the areas suffering most: El Paso, Texas, has had a record 26 straight days of temperatures over 100 degrees; Phoenix could reach at least 110 degrees for the 13th day in a row; and in Miami, the heat index (temperatures plus high humidity) has been at 100 or more for 31 days. The highest temperatures in California and the Southwest are expected Friday through Sunday, when dozens of records could be broken. |
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Flooding starts to recede in Vermont, but more rain is expected |
After several days of catastrophic flooding, the waters have begun to recede in Vermont. Officials in the capital, Montpelier, where the Winooski River crested yesterday, said it appeared that a nearby dam would not breach, reducing the threat of more water flooding into the city. Residents of Montpelier and almost a dozen other cities were advised to boil their water. Forecasters said the region could get more rain in the coming days, with up to 3 inches through Friday.
President Joe Biden has declared an emergency in Vermont and ordered federal help to assist state and local authorities in the disaster response.
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Inflation eases for 12th consecutive month |
There was more good news on the inflation front today. The government said inflation eased from 4 percent in May to 3 percent in June. It was the 12th straight month that saw inflation cooling. The 3 percent increase in consumer prices marked the slowest pace of inflation since March 2021. Gas prices led the decline, falling from $4.66 a gallon a year ago to $3.54 today, according to AAA. Prices for used cars dropped 5.2 percent year over year. But the cost of housing continued to increase substantially, with the “shelter index” rising 7.8 percent over the last year. This accounted for more than 70 percent of the overall increase. Rents rose 0.5 percent from May to June. The stock markets reacted positively to the inflation news, with the major indexes all rising. |
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Biden meets with Ukraine’s Zelenskyy at NATO summit |
After President Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meeting at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, Biden said the NATO allies had agreed to “create a path to NATO membership” for Ukraine while it “continues to make progress on necessary reforms.” In the meantime, the president said, the allies will provide long-term security commitments to Ukraine. “We’re going to provide security to Ukraine for its needs and against any aggression that may occur.” For his part, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the NATO leaders for their support. “Today there are security guarantees for Ukraine on the way to NATO, an important package of security guarantees,” he said. He called it a “significant security victory” for Ukraine, though it fell short of Zelenskyy’s goal of NATO quickly admitting Ukraine to the alliance. “Our commitment to Ukraine will not weaken,” Biden said in a speech tonight in Vilnius. He said Russia has shown no interest in a diplomatic outcome to the war in Ukraine. |
Tennessee doctor shot and killed by patient, police say |
Police in Collierville, Tennessee, say that Dr. Benjamin Mauck, an orthopedic surgeon, was killed in an exam room of Campbell Clinic Orthopedics. Police said they responded to the shooting within five minutes and arrested 29-year-old Larry Pickens of Memphis. “This appears to be a one-on-one interaction,” said Police Chief Dale Lane. Police said Pickens was carrying a handgun. He was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault. His bond was set at $1.2 million, and he was to be arraigned tomorrow. |
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What else we're watching: |
In a special one-day session, Republicans in Iowa’s legislature passed a six-week abortion ban, with some exceptions for emergencies. Gov. Kim Reynolds said she will sign the bill on Friday. Abortions were previously permitted in the state up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. |
The film and TV industries could be largely shut down if members of SAG-AFTRA go on strike as threatened at midnight tonight. They would join members of the Writers Guild who have been on strike for more than two months. The main issues are demands for higher pay and concerns about artificial intelligence. |
Daniil Medvedev of Russia beat American Chris Eubanks in five sets at their quarter-final match at Wimbledon. |
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Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app. |
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