trump set to face off in their first 2024 presidential debate. the stage now set. the candidates arriving in atlanta for the biggest night of this campaign so far. for president biden, his best chance yet to ease questions over his age, while former president trump is taking the stage less than a month after his criminal conviction. the attacks expected over abortion, the economy, immigration, and the mystery over mr. trump's vp pick, the top three contenders all expected to be there. our full coverage tonight. also this evening, the supreme court allowing emergency abortions in idaho for now, a day after the ruling was mistakenly posted online. why the fight is far from over. just in, more than two years after the uvalde massacre, the indictment the now former school district police chief is facing. new storms in the midwest on the heels of catastrophic flooding, and deadly weather slamming the northeast. in gaza, 20 critically ill children in desperate need of care. for months, nbc news exclusively tracking the secret mission to rescue them. our cameras there today as they are evacuated out of the war zone. and the nba's french connection. the rising stars from france dominating the draft, just in time for the paris olympics. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >> good evening and welcome. the stage is set for the most significant night of the 2024 campaign so far. president biden and former president trump have arrived in atlanta to face off in their first debate, hoping to win over undecided voters while reassuring their supporters. they'll appear for 90 minutes with no studio audience and with microphones muted while the other candidate is speaking. inflation, immigration, and abortion rights expected to be key topics tonight. president biden comes into this showdown facing low approval ratings, while mr. trump enters the night under the cloud of his felony conviction. and four years after their last debate, both men face voter concerns over their age. also there, the top three contenders to be mr. trump's running mate. hallie jackson starts us off from atlanta. >> reporter: the stage now set. the candidates arriving for what may be the most watched moment of this election and one america has never seen in modern political history. the current president versus the former president, with mr. trump doing a final brush-up on the plane to atlanta, according to a person close to him. president biden arriving from camp david, where sources tell nbc news he's held multiple full-length mock debates. the two tonight face-to-face, but not eye to eye with sharp distinctions on how to handle issues like abortion access. the president also looking to show strength to counter voter concerns about his age. and on mr. trump's legal issues, taking out a full-page ad describing him as a convicted criminal. >> should we expect to here president trump hear president biden call president trump directly a convicted felon? >> it's an interesting question. i don't think he is going to gratuitously throw it out there, but he's called donald trump a felon before. i don't think he wouldn't do it. and if the shoe fits, you wear it. and former president trump is a convicted felon. >> reporter: and the biden campaign deploying mr. trump's estranged niece to help make the case against him. >> donald trump should never be allowed near the levers of power ever again. >> reporter: former president trump for his part previewing a push on immigration, with voters consistently saying the border and the economy are the two most important factors they're considering. >> no matter what joe biden promised in the debate, ask yourself, are you financially better off since he became president? >> reporter: mr. trump has said his running mate will be in atlanta tonight, but he hasn't said which of the top contenders he'll choose, j.d. vance, marco rubio, doug burgum as allies suggest mr. trump may rein himself in on stage. will we see a more disciplined mr. trump tonight on that debate stage? >> you will. he has been president of the united states. he knows what this job is. he knows the issues and the ways to fix this country, and then he is looking at a man who has done a terrible job. >> reporter: it's not clear if the two opponents will shake hands, as is tradition. in a studio with no live audience and with microphones muted when it's note their turn to speak. some new national polling shows mr. trump narrowly leading president biden, although within a narrow margin. tonight may make a difference. 16% of voters say they're open to changing their pick based on tonight's performances. the most critical in this campaign yet. >> hallie joins us now from the spin room tonight where the debate is just the beginning of a new push for both campaigns. >> reporter: that's right, lester. after their surrogate tip, the spin room here in atlanta, both candidates are hoping to take whatever momentum they get from the debate on the road to rallies. president biden set to head to north carolina, former president trump to virginia. lester? >> hallie jackson starting us off, thanks. joining me now kristen welker, moderator of "meet the press." kristen, this is a critical moment. there is no scorecard here, but what does each side need to do to feel like they succeeded this evening? >> great question. former aides to president trump tell me they're advising him to deliver a measured performance tonight after that previous debate in 2020 where she was harshly criticized for interrupting repeatedly. meanwhile, for president biden who is trailing in key states and needs to shake up this race, critical for him tonight to counter polls that show voters have concerns he is not up to the job, and to come across as tough against mr. trump. >> and kristen, we have both moderated presidential debates. the rules in this one are a bit different than what people likely normally see. >> you're right about that. in fact, the new rules are going to be center stage as much as the candidates will be, particularly this change where they will mute the mic of the person not speaking. hallie just talked about that. so the big question, will we get to see those clashes that often define a debate? in the debate i moderated, the mics were muted, but only temporarily after the first two minutes of each topic, which did help control the conversation, lester, and could be a preview of what we get to see tonight. lester? >> all right, kristen, thanks very much. and join us tonight starting at 9:00 p.m. eastern for the first presidential debate hosted by cnn. the issue of abortion in tonight's debate is likely to touch on today's supreme court decision, allowing the state of idaho to perform emergency abortions at least for the time being. laura jarrett has more on the court's ruling. >> reporter: tonight, a major dispute over state-level abortion bans left unresolved. the u.s. supreme court temporarily clearing the way for women in idaho to receive abortions when their health is at risk. but sidestepping a broader ruling that would have put to rest a fierce fight over precisely what care doctors must provide going forward. the justices punting that issue to the lower courts, leaving some doctors uneasy about the road ahead. >> now we will need to be in this waiting pattern again. >> i would say our health system in idaho is collapsing under the weight of this. >> reporter: the biden doj had argued federal law requires hospitals that receive federal funding provide abortions to women in health emergencies, including grave situations that threaten their future fertility. but idaho only allows abortions to save a woman's life. a majority of the justices opting not to say which side is right, punting the issue to the lower courts. >> we'll continue to to it will rate it vigorously at the ninth circuit. >> reporter: the court issuing a short unsigned opinion identical to the one prematurely posted on its website thursday, drawing a sharp rebuke from justice jackson, accusing her colleagues of dawdling on the heart of the question, when are abortions mandated? one still percolating not only in idaho, but at least six other states with strict abortion bans. justice alito also critical of the decision, suggesting his colleagues had allowed the emotional and highly politicized nature of the issue cloud their reasoning. this case one of two battles over abortion this term, testing where the justices stand now just two years after the conservative majority overturned roe, this time in the midst of a hotly contested election year. the trump campaign saying the former president continues supporting the rights of states to make decisions on abortion. the biden campaign pouncing on the court's ruling, out with a new ad emphasizing the health consequences of abortion bans like idaho's. >> when you're the only person in the emergency room at 2:00 in the morning and someone comes in hemorrhaging and they're pregnant, you're responsible. about the penalties are so severe. felony imprisonment, loss of license, those are terrifying things. >> and laura we got another major ruling from the court today on an opioid settlement. >> reporter: lester, it's a multimillion-dollar deal involving purdue pharma, maker of the powerful painkiller oxycontin upended after a justice found the proposed plan wrongfully shielded the members of the sackler family from liability. this leaves tens of thousands of families seeking compensation in limbo, hoping to each another settlement soon. lester? >> all right, laura, thank you. just in tonight, more than two years after 21 people were fatally shot at an elementary school in uvalde, texas, the now former school district police chief has been charged for the botched response. sam brock joins us with more. sam, he is in jail tonight? >> yeah, lester, that's correct. it's happening right now. former uvalde school district police chief pete arredondo was brought in by law enforcement tonight and is being booked, according to uvalde jail officials. arredondo faces charges of abandoning and endangering a child in connection with the 2022 mass massacre at robb elementary school in which 19th fourth graders and two teachers were killed by an 18-year-old shooter. this marks the first criminal charge of any law enforcement officer related to the mass shooting response. arredondo took faced heavy criticism after it took nearly 400 members of law enforcement 77 minutes to confront the shooter after the first shots were fired. in january, the district attorney there had revealed she convened a grand jury to disclose the criminal charges. lester? >> thank you. yet more rain is in the forecast for parts of the midwest still reeling from that flooding emergency we've been reporting on all week. jesse kirsch is following it all from south dakota. jesse, how does the region look tonight? >> lester, this hard-hit community is near one of the more than 100 river locations still at flood stage in a region expecting more rain over the next several hours. the storms this week bringing soaking rain, powerful winds, and damaging floods to so many communities. the northeast hit overnight with falling trees killing two people, one in new jersey and one in connecticut. meanwhile sharing new satellite images that reveal the scale of destruction around minnesota's rapidan dam. here it is in 2011. this was the dam yesterday. as floodwaters recede, cleanup continues in places like north sioux city, south dakota. >> everything i have in there is gone. >> reporter: michelle lujan says after she saw the water rising on a walk sunday night, she got her dogs and drove away. lujan is just one of the residents who told us as scenes like this unfolded, they did not get any cell phone alerts telling them to evacuate. tonight a local official says first responders shared an evacuation recommendation by word of mouth as they were assisting residents with evacuation efforts throughout the afternoon. but a cell phone and land line alert did not go out until roughly 40 minutes after this video was taken. lujan says her home is now this pile of rubble. is there a future for you here? >> i don't see a future for me here. and it's devastating. i love my neighbors. i love this area. but i mean, if i'm quite honest, i don't know that where i live will ever be buildable again. >> reporter: jesse kirsch, nbc news, north sioux city, south dakota. we turn now to the secret mission today in gaza. for months, nbc news has been tracking a behind-the-scenes effort to rescue critically ill children from the war zone. today our cameras were there as they were finally evacuated. here is andrea mitchell. >> reporter: tonight 20 desperately ill children rescued from gaza, most doctors say with treatable cancers, but unable to get chemotherapy and blood transfusions because of the war. our crew was there as they boarded a bus and ambulances today. children like 11-year-old seraj, no longer able to lift a bottle of water, diagnosed two months ago with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. his mother says he is losing weight, needs a blood transfusion, is scared and in pain. unable to walk, he is carried to an ambulance. and 6-year-old jory, treated for brain cancer at a children's hospital in gaza until it was bombed. her mom says losing strength for the lack of medicine and food. >> any interruption of care, even for a few days or a matter of weeks or even hours would result in death in many of the children. >> reporter: since november, nbc news has been tracking this mission exclusively as the white house working secretly with egypt, israel, palestinian doctors, and doctors from st. jude in memphis helped save 140 children from gaza. but that came to a halt when israel launched its offensive in rafah on may 6th, closing the only crossing to egypt. since then, getting cleared by the warring parties a huge challenge for the children and parents. >> these kids have been without the chemo they need. supplies are not getting in. they couldn't get out. >> that's right. and they're obviously at critical stages of their treatment. and they weren't able to get that life-saving, that critical medical attention that they needed for their care. and so new they will. >> reporter: 5-year-old faez is traveling with his grandmother, his mom unable to leave. tonight, they are safe in egypt, a small ray of light in the darkness of war. as a result of today's successful mission, tonight doctors say they have a new agreement to keep the rescue operation going. lester? >> andrea, thank you. in 60 seconds, new trouble for boeing. why the ntsb has just punished the company. what boeing did, and how it says it's trying to win back the trust of airlines and the public. our behind-the-scenes look. e public. i was born to live in the limelight. but psoriasis kept me in the shadows. until i got clearer skin with bimzelx. most people got 100% clear skin. some after the first dose. serious side effects, including suicidal thoughts and behavior, infections and lowered ability to fight them, liver problems, and inflammatory bowel disease, have occurred. tell your doctor if these happen or worsen, or if you've had a vaccine or plan to. (♪♪) start to get yourself back, with bimzelx. ask your dermatologist about bimzelx today. this week on chewy, shop all your pet's favorites and get a $30 egift card. enjoy more savings on more food, more toys, and more treats. more of everything they love, delivered right to your door. only with chewy. mike had a heart attack a year ago. deliver but he's stillr door. living in the red. with a very high risk of another attack. with his risk factors his recommended ldl-c level should be below 55. find out if you're living in the red. learn how to get a free ldl-c test. boeing has new trouble with the ntsb tonight over something an executive said about that midair door plug blowout, and it comes as the company is giving an inside look at the safety changes it's making in its factories. here is tom costello. >> reporter: already under faa and fbi investigation, the ntsb has hit boeing hard, sanctioning boeing for detailing to reporters how a max 9 fuselage moved through the assembly line with its door plug not properly bolted in. >> we believe that plug was opened without the correct paperwork. >> reporter: the ntsb says those comments blatantly violated ntsb investigative regulations that prohibit anyone from releasing information until an investigation is complete. boeing today said we deeply regret that some of our comments intended to make clear our responsibility in the accident and explain the actions we are taking overstepped the ntsb's role. now boeing's role in investigating what went wrong on the 737 max assembly line will be curtailed. this is the line where that max 9 came off, and then a few weeks later had the door plug blowout over portland. it is under intense faa and ntsb scrutiny right now because on this assembly line, boeing's reputation is on the line. boeing insists it's now moving fast to change its culture and manufacturing procedures to regain the trust of the faa, the airlines, and flying public. >> i feel like people are a lot more comfortable to speak up. >> why has it taken you so long to develop a top to bottom approach to quality and safety management that one would think this company should have already had in place decades ago? >> we have a strong foundation of caring deeply about safety. i believe this plan will make us stronger. >> reporter: meanwhile, a new whistle-blower tells the faa he was fired by subcontractor spirit aerosystems after reporting substandard work on the 787. boeing says the issues were addressed and fixed. spirit says "we encourage all employees with concerns to come forward." boeing's turnaround plan tonight under the microscope and overshadowed. tom costello, nbc news, chicago. seattle. coming up, as we continue tonight, the battle of the online retail giants. how amazon plans to take on the surging chinese discount retailers, next. i have relapsing ms, but i still want to spend my time my way. i chose kesimpta because it works for me and my schedule. kesimpta is a b-cell treatment for rms that had powerful results. a reduced rate of relapses and slowed disability progression. i take it myself once-a-month, at home, or on the go. when i'm ready, treatment time is less than a minute. so more of my time, is up-to-me time. don't take if you've had an allergic reaction to ofatumumab, life-threatening injection-related reaction to kesimpta, or have hepatitis b. tell your doctor if you've had hepatitis b as it could come back. kesimpta can cause serious side effects, including fatal infections. while no pml cases were reported in rms clinical trials, it could happen. tell your doctor if you had or plan to have vaccines, or if you are or plan to become pregnant. kesimpta may decrease certain antibodies. most common side effects are upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and injection reactions. kesimpta fits my life. so how i fill my time is up to me. ask your doctor about kesimpta for rms. 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