one pediatrician to serve more than 10,000 children. daniel lurie said, i'm going to help. we opened a clinic for our most vulnerable children. i have worked shoulder to shoulder with him as we have brought solutions where people thought the problem was unsolvable. daniel doesn't take excuses. he holds himself accountable. and i know that he can do it for the city of san francisco. tonight, extreme weather. the u.s. bracing for a potential hurricane, and dangerous heat fueling wildfires in the west. first, the new tropical storm francine expected to strengthen to a hurricane as soon as tonight before slamming the gulf coast. al roker is tracking it for us. and the raging inferno in california exploding, forcing thousands to evacuate.

more than 30,000 homes and buildings under threat. we're in the fire zone. also tonight, the final countdown to the debate. kamala harris and donald trump. inside their last-minute preps before tomorrow's high-stakes showdown. the manhunt in kentucky for a suspected highway gunman. new tonight, the warning to 911 before the shooting started. just in, new police body cam of the suspect in the deadly georgia school shooting more than a year before the massacre. what it reveals. the major ruling in the idaho murders case. why the trial is being moved. our exclusive. miami dolphins star tyreek hill a day after he was detained by police speaking out. what he says really happened. apple unveiling the iphone 16. the new features powered by ai. the good news on princess kate's health battle after her cancer diagnosis. and the hollywood legend who voiced darth vader and starred in so many

classics. remembering james earl jones. >> announcer: this is nbc "nightly news" with lester holt. good evening and welcome. breaking news as we come on the air tonight. tropical storm francine gaining strength in the gulf of mexico, where forecasters expect it to become a hurricane by the time it makes landfall along the louisiana gulf coast as soon as wednesday. but storm surge and hurricane warnings are already in effect in some areas. a dangerous situation also unfolding tonight in the american west. searing temperatures, strong gusty winds and bone dry humidity are fueling an outbreak of wildfires so intense that in some cases firefighters have been forced to retreat. al roker is tracking it all for us tonight, starting with the latest on tropical storm francine. al, good evening. what's the latest? >> well, lester, here's the deal. we've got this system, it's 435 miles south-southwest of cameron, louisiana. 65-mile-per-hour winds. we expect that to intensify because the gulf waters are at

record warmth right now. it's moving northwest at seven miles per hour. so we now have hurricane warnings up from the border of texas and louisiana all the way to florida. we're looking at right now tropical storm watches, hurricane watches as well. we expect this system to make landfall as possibly a category 2 sometime wednesday afternoon into the evening bringing anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of more rain or even higher amounts as it makes its way up into the mississippi river valley we're going to be watching this. and of course the most dangerous part of the storm, the storm surge. from cameron, louisiana to grand isle. five to ten feet, lester. and that can be deadly. >> all right, al, thanks very much. we want to get right to the wildfire emergency in southern california, where thousands of people have been evacuated. dana griffin is near the largest wildfire. dana, what are the conditions on the ground? >> reporter: yeah, lester, this fire has been so unpredictable the california national guard has deployed resources and new evacuation orders

were issued today. just look behind me. this ridge has seen so much fire activity including flare-ups showing just how quickly the flames can spread. tonight, chaos on the fire line. extreme heat fueling dangerous and volatile conditions, forcing crews to fall back. more than a dozen wildfires are burning across the west, from idaho to nevada and southern california. 60 miles east of los angeles the line fire quadrupled in size over the weekend, forcing thousands to flee their homes. >> we did just get an order to leave. so we're packing up and leaving soon. >> reporter: the 20,000-acre inferno burning so hot it created its own thunderstorms, generating erratic and heavy winds, sparking hundreds of lightning strikes. three firefighters have been injured and tens of thousands of homes are threatened. as a record-breaking heatwave continues to bake southern california. because of steep rugged terrain fire crews are having to battle this mostly from air. take a look.

you can see them dropping water to extinguish flames. the air attack critical across multiple states. in northern california the boils fire erupted with overwhelming speed, quickly destroying dozens of homes and vehicles, leaving these burnt-out shells. >> keep going, guys. >> reporter: in reno, saturday horses make a run for it. escaping the davis fire that destroyed multiple homes and upended the presidential campaign season. vice presidential nominee tim walz canceling tonight's rally. >> the brush is consistently exposed to triple-digit temperatures. it just dries out. it's ready to burn. >> reporter: a changing climate causing record-breaking temperatures and dangerous fuel for summer wildfires. dana griffin, nbc news. now to that crucial debate between vice president harris and former president trump. their first and perhaps only showdown. peter alexander is in philadelphia with new reporting on the 11th hour preparations. >> reporter: tonight

vice president harris touching down in philadelphia. her face to face with former president trump just 24 hours away. >> how are you feeling? >> reporter: campaign sources tell nbc news harris and her team are focusing on ways to needle trump, to provoke him, and that she's studied past trump debate clips. >> it's time to turn the page on the divisiveness. it's time to bring our country together. >> reporter: but a key challenge for harris trying to present herself as the change candidate when she's also the incumbent vp. a new poll shows more than 60% of likely voters want a major change from president biden. more than half of those voters say trump will bring that change. but only 25% say harris will. meanwhile, the former president at mar-a-lago doing what sources describe as informal debate prep. among those advising him former democratic congresswoman tulsi gabbard. >> we're run by stupid people. and we found that out at the debate with joe. how did that work out?

and we're going to find it out again on tuesday night. >> reporter: a crucial challenge for trump, winning back more women voters. but this warning today from trump rival turned supporter nikki haley. >> donald trump and j.d. vance need to change the way they speak about women. you don't need to go and talk about intelligence or looks or anything else. just focus on the policies. >> reporter: this will be trump's seventh general election debate, harris's first, and it could be their only showdown. notably, the two have never met. trump left town before president biden's inauguration. lester? >> peter alexander, thank you. and a topic that could come up in tomorrow night's debate, the increasingly inflammatory rhetoric from former president trump about his perceived enemies. here's vaughn hillyard. >> reporter: tonight as he prepares for his critical debate showdown former president trump vowing to totally reshape the justice department and target political opponents. >> we will completely overhaul kamala's corrupt department of injustice.

>> reporter: he recently reposted doctored images of top democrats along with anthony fauci and bill gates in orange jumpsuits with the caption "how to feel fix the system." and in trump's new book alleging facebook ceo mark zucker brerg will try to unlawfully influence the 2024 election writing "if he does anything illegal this time he will spend the rest of his life in prison." just this weekend trump promising possible retribution against 2024 election administrators, writing "lawyers, political operatives, donors, illegal voters and corrupt election officials, those involved in unscrupulous behavior will be sought out, caught and prosecuted at levels unfortunately never seen before in our country." but illegal voting is rare and tonight a republican election official in arizona told us he's worried. >> i'm concerned we will see potentially professionals who are more willing to bend general rules of prosecutorial ethics or legal standards, who will occupy these positions. >> reporter: this summer's consequential supreme court ruling

also gave a president absolute immunity over anything he orders or says to his attorney general. though trump's gop supporters argue that doj and democratic prosecutors are going after him to hurt his campaign. >> my poll numbers i believe are higher now because the public understands it's a hoax. >> reporter: the harris campaign responding by saying that trump will, quote, use his unchecked powers to prosecute his enemies. lester? >> all right. vaughn hillyard, thank you. join us tomorrow night for coverage of the presidential debate. we get under way starting at 8:00 p.m. on nbc. tonight in kentucky an urgent search is under way after a gunman opened fire, injuring five people. schools in the area have been closed and authorities are offering a $10,000 reward. priya sridhar is there. >> reporter: tonight the manhunt continues for a suspected shooter in laurel county, kentucky. >> our goal is to apply steady pressure and wearing mr. couch down. >> reporter: according to newly released

court documents obtained by nbc news, a woman called 911 30 minutes before the shooting to warn that 32-year-old joseph couch had texted her that he was, quote, going to kill a lot of people and then, quote, kill myself. authorities say couch bought an ar-15 and 1,000 rounds of ammunition at this store before he drove eight miles away and allegedly began randomly shooting at cars on the interstate. officials say couch served in the army reserve. according to the documents, officers began tracking couch's phone, which led them to his car. nearby they found a green army style duffel bag with his name on it and several magazines of ammunition. shayna lowry says her truck was struck in the gunfire. >> all i could think about was my children and my significant other. you know, and the real reality that i couldn't be here. >> reporter: now dozens of law enforcement agents are scouring the densely wooded area. >> we'll search until

we can find him, until we exhaust all resources. >> reporter: priya sridhar, nbc news, london, kentucky. just in tonight, newly revealed body cam of the teen suspect in that deadly school shooting. it shows an encounter a year earlier between police and the accused gunman and his father. our priscilla thompson has the video. >> this is some serious stuff. >> yeah, i know. >> reporter: newly released body cam footage from the jackson county sheriff's department shows the moment law enforcement questioned colt gray last year about threats made online to, quote, shoot up an elementary school. >> i promise i would never say something like that. >> you haven't used discord in a few months? >> oh, no. >> and you're saying you didn't say anything like that? >> no, the only thing i have is tiktok and i just go on there and watch videos. >> reporter: now the 14-year-old is charged with four counts of felony murder after allegedly killing students and teachers at his high school last week. a little over a year after officers left his doorstep deeming the threat

unsubstantiated. >> i've got no choice but to take you at your word right now but like i was telling your dad if we find out otherwise then it's a different story. okay? >> it's a real different story. >> reporter: the video release comes as we're learning that the shooter's mother made an urgent call warning school officials a half hour before shots rang out. the school district declined to comment on specific details of an active investigation. schools here are set to reopen tomorrow except for the high school, which will remain closed. meanwhile, investigators are still searching for a motive. lester? >> all right. priscilla thompson, thank you. now to that major development in the case of those four murdered idaho college students. the judge granting a motion to move suspect brian kohberger's trial. our senior legal correspondent laura jarrett is here. laura, what was the judge's thinking? >> well, lester, the judge cited the amount of media attention in a community that's so tight-knit and so small that simply they cannot handle this case. he's worried about the lack of resources. he's pointing to a defense survey where the majority of those residents say they

already believe he's guilty. he obviously has pled not guilty in this case. those four college students being killed just two years ago, but the case has been slow-moving and thus far really hasn't got off the ground. one family of the victims tonight, the goncalves family, saying they are incredibly disappointed in this result, lester. >> laura, thank you. hollywood has lost a legend tonight. james earl jones the trailblazing actor who voiced darth vader and starred in countless classic films has died at 93. steve patterson now on his life and legacy. >> i shall pray for you -- >> reporter: for over 70 years he graced stage and screen with a voice that commanded attention. >> don't you try and go through life worried if somebody like you or not. >> reporter: james earl jones was born in rural mississippi in 1931. as a child he

developed a debilitating stutter. >> you never get over it, really. you simply learn how to work around it. >> keeping him off me. >> reporter: his breakthrough tony-winning performance came as boxing champ jack johnson in "the great white hope," which was later turned into a movie. >> i am your father. >> reporter: but it was a 2 1/2-hour voice-over session for george lucas that changed his life. the role propelled him, or at least his voice to worldwide fame as darth vader in "star wars." for the next 40 years he excelled on stage, winning a second tony award. >> james earl jones. >> reporter: and on the big screen a navy admiral in "the hunt for red october." >> and i was never here. >> reporter: in "the lion king." >> you are more than what you have become. >> reporter: and the voice of all baseball fans in "field of dreams." >> people will come, ray. people will most definitely come. >> may i have your attention, please? >> reporter: on screen and in life james earl jones was a king. >> the goal wasn't to

be a millionaire, to be a hollywood star. to be a part of good storytelling. the goal was about that. >> i found you! >> reporter: he found his voice. and we got a legend. steve patterson, nbc news, los angeles. >> what a life. what an actor. in 60 seconds, our exclusive one-on-one with nfl star tyreek hill. what he says about being pulled over, detained and handcuffed by police as he was on his way to the dolphins' home opener. stay with us. started. it's... the side hug. tween milestones like this may start at age 9. hpv vaccination—a type of cancer prevention against certain hpv-related cancers, can start then too. for most, hpv clears on its own. but for others, it can cause certain cancers later in life. you're welcome! now, as the “dad cab”, it's my cue to help protect them. embrace this phase. help protect them in the next. ask their doctor today about hpv vaccination. dupixent can help people with asthma breathe better in as little as 2 weeks.

so this is better. even this. dupixent is an add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma that's not for sudden breathing problems. dupixent can cause allergic reactions that can be severe. tell your doctor right away if you have rash, chest pain, worsening shortness of breath, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor about new or worsening joint aches and pain or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines including steroids, without talking to your doctor. ask your specialist about dupixent. we are back now with our exclusive interview with tyreek hill one day after the star miami dolphins wide receiver found himself detained and handcuffed by police during a traffic stop on his way to the home opener. jesse kirsch sat down with him late today. >> put your window down. keep your window down. i'm going to get you out of the car. >> it went from 0 to 60 immediately. >> reporter: tonight nfl star tyreek hill is speaking out. >> when we tell you to

do something you do it. you understand? you're a little [ bleep ] confused. >> reporter: the miami dolphins wide receiver and his wife sitting down exclusively with nbc news one day after he was forcefully detained and handcuffed by miami-dade police on his way to the dolphins' home opener. >> i was opening my door and i was fitting to get out. you know what i'm saying? but i felt like they was like wanting me to move fast. >> did they immediately put you in handcuffs or -- >> immediately. like they felt like i was a threat. you know? and i don't see why they felt like i was a threat. >> reporter: the police union says hill was pulled over for dangerous driving but was never under arrest. >> he wasn't cooperative. handcuffs were put on him after a short time. he was issued two citations. >> sounds like you very much dispute what the police union is saying. >> i mean, everybody has their own side, their own version. and i feel like they do that, you know, to kind of protect, you know, the officer. >> do you think you were speeding? >> i have no idea. i have no idea. but i wasn't going like 80 or 70 or 60. >> surprising to me that i got pulled

over. >> reporter: miami-dade police launched an internal affairs investigation, saying one officer has been placed on administrative duties, adding officials are reviewing available body camera footage. >> touchdown! >> reporter: after the incident hill played and scored a touchdown. celebrating like this. >> what message were you hoping to send with that celebration? >> like i said, man, you've got to learn how to laugh and like have a good time. >> reporter: now hill hopes he can work with police in the wake of this incident. >> if i wasn't tyreek hill, lord knows, i probably would have been -- >> you'd have been locked up. >> i don't like dividing people, man. i like bringing people together. that's the way my parents always raised me. >> reporter: jesse kirsch, nbc news, miami. there is more ahead. coming up, the newest iphones and apple's big bet on the future of ai. will all the new features turn around apple's slump? how do you keep your voice sounding so... ...legendary? honey!

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apple's slump?r it's the day many apple fans have been waiting for. the tech giant unveiling its new line of phones. but it's not the hardware that's getting attention. it's what's inside. brian cheung explains. >> reporter: tonight apple ceo tim cook offering a grand vision for the future. >> the most advanced iphone we've ever made. >> reporter: which looks a lot like the present. the new iphone 16 nearly identical in shape and size to the 15, just with a slightly larger screen on the pro models. but behind that familiar face is apple's big bet. >> we are thrilled to

introduce the first iphones designed from the ground up for apple intelligence. >> hey, siri -- >> reporter: apple now promising a smarter, more personal siri as well as gemnmojis, a way for users to create custom emojis like a cowboy frog. it's a big step for the iphone which introduced siri with the iphone 4s 13 years ago. more recent models, have largely been the same in form. beginning with last year's 15 pros and today's new iphone 16 and apple is leaning into ai features to give a new boost to sales. >> if you want these. ai capabilities apple is asking you to shell out a good amount of money to get them. >> reporter: a challenge for apple, balancing privacy concerns as it rolled the software out. even though apple has historically released software updates alongside the new phones, apple execs say iphone 16 buyers will have to wait. >> the first set of features will be available in beta next month. with more features rolling out in the months to come. >> the most

disappointing thing about the iphone 16 models is that these ai features do not come out of the box. >> reporter: apple hoping it can convince shoppers to buy a smartphone on the promises of it getting smarter. brian cheung, nbc news. up next, we'll hear from princess kate and the good news about her cancer fight. called tardive dyskinesia, or td. so his doctor prescribed austedo xr— a once-daily, extended-release td treatment for adults. ♪ as you go with austedo ♪ austedo xr significantly reduced dan's td movements. some people saw a response as early as 2 weeks. with austedo xr, dan can stay on his mental health meds— (dan) cool hair! (vo) austedo xr can cause depression, suicidal thoughts, or actions in patients with huntington's disease. pay close attention to and call your doctor if you become depressed, have sudden changes in mood, or have suicidal thoughts. don't take if you have liver problems, are taking reserpine, tetrabenazine, or valbenazine. austedo xr may cause irregular or fast heartbeat, or abnormal movements. seek help for fever, stiff muscles,

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worsening shortness of breath, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor about new or worsening joint aches and pain or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines including steroids, without talking to your doctor. ask your specialist about dupixent. finally, there's good news tonight about princess kate, sharing a moving update about her battle with cancer. here's meagan fitzgerald.

>> i cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatments. >> reporter: tonight a royal announcement nine months in the making. >> the last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. life as you know it can change in an instant. and we've had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters. >> reporter: the princess opening up in a way we've never seen before, sharing rare and intimate moments with her family. >> is it filming? >> hello. >> hello! >> reporter: the princess also announcing she's looking forward to attending more public engagements. >> though i finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and i must continue to take each day as it comes. i am, however, looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when i can. >> reporter: a major step in a frightening journey, one she didn't walk alone.

>> this time has above all reminded william and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life which so many of us often take for granted as simply loving and being loved. >> reporter: meagan fitzgerald, nbc news, london. >> and that is "nightly news" for this monday. thank you for watching. i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night. good night.

711. the new details just coming into our newsroom on the investigation. good afternoon. i'm audrey asistio. welcome to nbc bay area news at 4:30. the police chief just gave an update