hurricane beryl now a category 3 storm, as it heads to the cayman islands after battering jamaica with winds up to 140 miles per hour. with the storm's path unsecerta,

texas officials are warning residents to be prepared. hezbollah firing a barrage of rockets at israel after israel's military killed a senior hezbollah leader in a strike in southern lebanon. a tragedy one family says was entirely preventible. a 3-year-old accidently shoots herself in the head after finding an unsecured loaded gun. the miracle survivor now part of the national debate over safe gun storage. shawnean "diddy" combs the source of an investigation. and it's a whole new meaning to the sounds of nature. people lining up to play a decomposing piano left out for the elements. hap happy fourth of july. "early today" starts right now. and good morning to you. i'm richard lui. we're going to start as hurricane beryl races towards the cayman islands this hour.

now downgraded to a category 3. this storm lashing jamaica wednesday as a category 4 with maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour as it blasted past the island nation, uprooting trees and ripping roofs off the homes in those areas. they saw flooded roads and downed power lines. video of this bridge connecting kingston to tourist areas on the north coast of the island capturing before and after it was submerged by floodwaters. the monster storm has claimed seven lives so far. but so far there are no deaths in jamaica. the hurricane warning there replaced by a flash flood watch, and beryl's path remains uncer uncertain, with texas authorities warning residents to be prepared over the holiday weekend. angie, let's look at that. texas a possibility? >> texas a possibility down the line for a final kind of landfall for this system here as we get into the end of the weekend richard. we've got that category 3 that you mentioned, hurricane beryl

continuing to move northwest at 21 miles per hour but with winds down to 125 miles per hour. we likely are seeing thins subsiding in jamaica, especially when it comes to the storm surge we saw yesterday. that will start to improve. we do still have hurricane warning in effect for folks in the cayman islands. we're looking at minor impacts for folks there. maybe 4 to 6 inches of rain. so we could see minor flooding in that region. but then we'll watch for the yucatan where we'll likely see a category 1 or 2 hurricane make landfall again. we're still watching for heavy rain and such and the stronger winds for that region. there it is by the time we get into sunday. there's still some uncertainty with exactly where the center of that system will be. mexico, texas, those are the spots we will be watching for potentially down the line as we get into late sunday and early monday for another landfall for beryl. back over to you, richard. >> we'll check in with you a little later. now to the white house where president biden says nobody is pushing him out of this

election. that may be his public stance, but four people familiar with the matter tell nbc news that in private, the president is torn between defiance and acceptance as he faces calls to step aside, reb recognizing that blow back from the debate may be too much to overcome. we have more on the efforts to calm supporters' fears. >> reporter: facing mounting pressure over his future in the race, president biden and vice president harris meeting with democratic governors. >> we know we have work to do. we know as we're standing right here, we're behind. >> all of us said we pledged our support to him, because the stakes could not be higher. >> reporter: that, after the president rallied campaign staff in an all-hands call, telling them, quote, i am running, and nobody is pushing me out. the white house press secretary reaffirming that. >> the president is moving forward. he's moving forward as being president. he's moving forward with his campaign. >> reporter: following criticism, he was slow to

reassure lawmakers the president speaking with top democrats, all part of the evident to ease anxieties and tamp down calls for the president to end his reelection bid after that disastrous debate. even close allies frustrated the public hasn't seen him more in off-the-cuff appearances. >> he's got to show the american people that he can do this job. and he can't be wrapped in bubble right now. >> reporter: the number of democratic lawmakers publicly calling to replace president biden on the ticket is growing. texas representative lloyd doggett was the first. >> that process, while it's messy, if it's done in a fair and open way, may do a great deal to restore confidence in the democratic process. >> reporter: a new cnn poll shows vice president harris faring slightly better against trump than biden, although the difference is within the margin of error and she is underscoring her support. >> joe biden is our nominee. we beat trump once.

and we're going to beat him again, period. >> reporter: an embattled nominee, seeking to steady the ship. in washington, alice barr, nbc news. now to the growing tensions along israel's northern border after israel's forces killed a top hezbollah commander in southern lebanon. hezbollah saying it retaliated by firing 100 rockets. josh letterman joins us. what sparked the latest escalation between the two groups? >> reporter: israel apparently saw an opportunity to take out a senior hezbollah commander. and they took it . he was one of the highest-ranking to be killed so far in this tit-for-tat with israel. and tens of thousands have had to be evacuated from the north because of the frequent rocket fire. the idf says he was responsible for hezbollah's anti-tank and rocket fire coming from lebanon

into israel as part of that conflict, which has really played out simultaneously with the war in the gaza strip. now hezbollah is confirming his death. they say that they fired 100 katyusha rockets in retaliation. the idf says they were able to intercept some of those. most of them fell in open areas and did not cause any injuries. really, this is worsening concerns about a second front in israel's war with the israeli defense minister saying, look, we don't want to see a full-on war, but we're prepared to take lebanon back to the stone age if that is what is necessary. the white house has dispatched a senior aide to try to tamp down the tensions. hezbollah says, look, if you want to end this conflict, the only thing you need to do is reach a cease-fire in the gaza strip and stop killing palestinians there. >> they want to avoid what happened 15 years ago. thank you for that reporting. the united states has expelled more than 100 chinese

migrants in a rare mass deportation. the department of homeland security saying the migrants were flown back to china in a charter flight over weekend. the u.s. has seen a drastic surge in the number of chinese nationals entering the country illegally through the southern border. the dhs says they are working with china to reduce the illegal crossings and stop human trafficking. new this morning, two sources tell nbc news that sean "diddy" combs is now the subject of a federal criminal investigation. the same sources say a federal grand jury is hearing evidence related to the investigation, which could lead to an indictmen indi indictment for diddy. the news comes an after a pair of raids in march on homes he owns in los angeles and miami. a massive wildfire in northern california is burning out of control. scorching heat and high winds are fueling the fire, forcing

28,000 people to evacuate. the flames have already destroyed several homes and buildings. across the country, over 100 million people are under a heat alert today. in phoenix, where temperatures hit 113, a 10-year-old boy died after being airlifted from a trail where authorities say his family was hiking. and no relief is expected over the holiday weekend. let's go over to angie lassman again. a lot to watch. i know you're watching, not only the hurricane, but we also now have the west and the heat. >> yeah, and richard, good morning to you. but this heat wave is going to last for an extended period. we're talking about days and days of this oppressive heat especially out west. but we have heat alerts up for parts of the gulf coast and points north of there, because we've got so much heat and humidity for folks there. it's kind of the dual situation there where we have an actual temperature of 101 in dallas today, but it's going to feel like 107. out west, las vegas set to hit

112. we'll see dozens of records over this region broken, likely phoenix is set to hit 115 tomorrow. and even as we get into the weekend, things stay steamy in the soh.ut thunderstorms in the forecast for columbus and pittsburgh. 90 for the high in philadelphia today. >> thank you. delta is apologizing to passengers who were served spoiled food on a flight. this incident forcing the amsterdam-bound plane to make an emergency landing in new york. all refused medical attention. it happened during one of the busiest travel weeks on record. aaa estimating nearly 61 million are hitting the road for the

holiday, while nearly 7 million are flying to their fourth of july destinations. "early today" is back in just a minute with a new health warning about popular weight loss drugs, and the brave little girl playing a big role in the girl playing a big role in the fight for safe gun storage laws. for maximum air flow. so, i breathe better. and we both sleep better. and stay married. that grimy film on your teeth? dr. g? (♪♪) it's actually the buildup of plaque bacteria which can cause cavities. most toothpastes quit working in minutes. but crest pro-health's antibacterial fluoride protects all day. it stops cavities before they start... crest. pain means pause on the things you love, but... green... means... go! ♪♪ cool the pain with biofreeze. and keep on going. biofreeze. green means go. alice loves the scent of gain so much,

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something happened to her at her dad's house. >> i was screaming. i was jumping up and down. i was screaming. >> reporter: skye was at the hospital in a coma. investigators said she'd gotten ahold of her father's revolver, left loaded and unlocked on the bed and shot herself in the face. >> he forgot. he was so excited to see her. you don't forget about something like that. you don't. >> reporter: that sounds absurd. >> yeah, it is. >> reporter: skye's tragedy doubling, the father the first person stacharged under the stas storage law. the maximum penalty for failing and allowing a child to shoot themselves or someone else 15 years in prison. genesee county prosecutor, david

lei leighto 26 states, including michigan now have similar laws. >> grown-ups aren't going to be responsible gun owners and lock those guns away, then government has to step in. >> reporter: some gun rights activists argue safe storage laws violate the second amendment, pointing to a supreme court decision that established the right for people to keep guns for protection in their homes. >> we strongly encourage that people act in a responsible manner, but the supreme court has said laws that mandate firearms be locked, and so therefore not accessible to a person to use for self-protection violates the second amendment. >> reporter: as for skye, she lost her right eye. >> this the baby mama. >> that's baby? >> reporter: but her family says she has no apparent brain damage

and is mastering walking. her father has pleaded not guilty and hasn't responded to nbc news' interview requests. meanwhile, since skye's shooting, michigan's seen at least two other safe storage cases, including in may when a 2-year-old boy shot himself. this time it was fatal. david leyton has charged the boy's father and two other relatives. >> this is relatives. >> this is brpreventible. >> reporter: flint michigan. patients taking ozempic and wegovy could be at a risk to a condition that could lead to permanent blindness. the condition affects the optic nerve by reducing or blocking the blood flow, essentially causing a stroke that can lead to sudden vision loss. further research is being conducted to determine the link between the weight loss drugs and vision problems. still to come for you,

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if you stick around 30 rock over the last couple weeksing , you' seen them running around. >> it's fun, nothing despicable about that performance. now to chet hanks, the rapper and son of tom hanks condemned those using his phrase white boy summer to promote hateful ideologies. he coined the term in the song of the same name which he says was intended to celebrate fly white boys. earlier this week, the global project against hate and extremism reported that the phrase has been co-opted recently by far right extremists. he said any twisting of the phrase to support hate and bigotry is deplorable and call ford sprecalled for spreading love to each other. this is not the first time he had to defend that term. he previously had to defend it and say it wasn't related to donald trump or nascar, more so jack harlow. >> that global report not just

about the united states. good stuff. when we come back, parents, you'll want to stay tuned for a popular sound machine recall. and an explosive video of whatnot to do with fireworks this holiday weekend so you can hopefully keep all of your fingers and limbs. fingers and limbs. ooh.troducing allison's plaque psoriasis. she thinks her flaky, gray patches are all people see. otezla is the #1 prescribed pill to treat plaque psoriasis. over here! otezla can help you get clearer skin and reduce itching and flaking. with no routine blood tests required. doctors have been prescribing otezla for over a decade. otezla is also approved to treat psoriatic arthritis. don't use otezla if you're allergic to it. serious allergic reactions can happen. otezla may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. some people taking otezla had depression, suicidal thoughts or weight loss. upper respiratory tract infection and headache may occur.

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and a falcon 9 rocket was launched from cape canaveral. it's the 67th falcon 9 mission so far this year. always great to see. we'll be right back. stay with us right here. "early today" continues. we all need fiber for our digestive health, but less than 10% of us get enough each day. good thing metamucil gummies are an easy way to get prebiotic, plant-based fiber. with the same amount of fiber as 2 cups of broccoli. metamucil gummies. the easy way to get your daily fiber. dad i got a huge barbeque wing stain. this bottle says i need to pretreat. that stuff has way more water. a little bit of tide goes a long way, so you can save your shirt and maybe even a little money. moat the... library.s right... for a better clean with less... it's got to be tide. pain means pause on the things you love, but... green... means... go!

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it. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: it might look and sound bizarre, but make no m mistake, this is a piano at play. >> if somebody hears this and thinks, well, that's not music. well, what is music to you and why is this not music? >> reporter: when brown university was throwing away an old piano, it was give and new home outside. for more than ha a year now, haruta's been documenting what she calls piano decomposition in providence, rhode island from snow to sunshine, inviting anyone to wander under the trees and rethink what counts as music. what's the best way to play this right now? >> any way you want. >> reporter: you can pluck. hammer with twigs. pull out one of the keys or still play them. >> ah, kind of.

kind of hurts. oh, we kind of got it. >> it's not built for harmony anymore, in the way it was. but i think it's only frustrating if you try to play the piano in the way that you've been taught. >> whether or not it's music is almost irrelevant, because it's more about the connections and the creativity that comes out of it. >> reporter: an idea, even if not a sound, that could be music to your ears. jesse kirsch, nbc news, providence, rhode island. >> on a good note there. preparations are under way for a spectacular show over in new york city's hudson river. technicians have been loading up 60,000 shells for the macy's fourth of july fireworks and working on new surprises for you. >> this we'reyear we have a var of new elements. we've got a few surprise and

delight moments. >> we've come up with this red, white and blue aerial shell that will burst with a blue, then with a red. >> you can catch all the excitement tonight on nbc. and here's a look at what's coming up on "today." >> coming up on the third hour of "today", it's our july 4 extravaganza. live from macy's plaza. how do they pull off that incredible fireworks show? we'll ask the experts. plus what to watch and read this holiday weekend. and it wouldn't behe 4 tth fuelr

fire risk. the crackdowns now in place to lower those risks