Transcripts For WRC NBC Nightly News 20240622

Right now. Announcer from nbc news World Headquarters in new york this is nbc nightly news with lester holt. Good evening. Today in the shadow of the South Carolina state house it took an honor guard just 36 seconds to lower a symbol that has divided this nation for a century and a half. The applause was thunderous and sustained. Look at the crowd. After 54 years the confederate battle flag was brought down from the site for the very last time. It was a swift and dramatic turn in history. Born of the racist murders of nine members of a black church in charleston less than a month ago by a man who embraced that flag. Tonight we have two reports. Ron allen starts us off from columbia. Ron, good evening. Reporter good evening, lester. All that remains of the Confederate Flag here now is the concrete slab behind that monument on the ground that the flag pole used to stand in. A flag that for more than 50 years as one editorial writer put it signaled to about a third of the states population the black population, that they did not matter and that there was absolutely nothing they could do about it. Now today largely because of the massacre at Mother Emanuel Church in charleston South Carolina took that flag down. [ cheers and applause ] reporter a massive outburst of emotion as South Carolina brought down one of the most divisive symbols in the nation. As many as 10,000 jamming the streets around the state house for a sixminute ceremony there to bear witness. A new chapter in South Carolinas history. Reporter many wiped away tears, including governor nikki haley. An epic moment that happened many believe because nine innocent souls were massacred in their church and their relatives have shown grace and forgiveness. Its hard to put closure to what has happened to my sister. But im making it. Im making it. Reporter s lost her sister myra thompson. Ill tell you, myra will be in heaven smiling on whats being done down here on earth. I know she is. Reporter members of the honor guard, perhaps ironically the same men who carried the body of slain state senator and pastor Clementa Pinckney lieutenant derek gamble carried the banner away. What did you feel when you were doing that . Like i said just a sense of honor. Knowing that the people of South Carolina come together to make this happen. Reporter the flag was taken to a Military Museum that houses confederate and other military memorabilia. 25,000 visitors a year. A multimilliondollar display will be built for the flag. Part of the deal lawmakers made to bring it down. Later workers took down the flagpole. And the fence around it too. It was heartbreaking. Reporter megan and Brighton Lester say they came to honor ancestors who died in the civil war. Its not about hate. Its not. If you erase our history, were bound to repeat our history. Reporter anger and resentment flared. Youre the reason its going to stay down. Because youre a hater. Thank you. Reporter evidence of the deep differences that still divide. As on this occasion that no one would have predicted until the mother emanuel murders, South Carolina celebrated what many are calling the dawn of a new day. Usa usa reporter ron allen, nbc news columbia South Carolina. Reporter im rehema ellis. At Mother Emanuel Church the mourning continues. I hope we never, ever see this happen anyplace in the world again. Reporter each day new flowers, new mementos new messages of remembrance. I want to remember the nine people that gave their lives. Reporter what started as a makeshift memorial to those who died has grown in these past weeks, and its here that a small group of strangers gathered around a single cell phone and watched together as the flag came down. [ cheers ] this week people have come from as far away as california to bear witness here. 13yearold drew came with his dad and cousin from kentucky. Rest in peace. The civil war was a very very bad time. So im really excited to see that coming down. So it shows that were all a United Nation no matter what. Reporter when the flag was down and the ceremony over the group prayed silently and ended their spontaneous fellowship fellowship. Hallelujah. Hopefully, this is a sign of Better Things to come. Reporter a moment shared by strangers, forever bonded by history. Rehema ellis, nbc news. Meantime there is a stunning new twist in the events leading up to the Church Massacre in charleston. The fbi now says the accused killer should not have been allowed to buy the gun used in the attack. But a series of errors in the background check system failed to stop him. We get details from our justice correspondent, pete williams. Reporter the fbi calls it a heartbreaking series of missed opportunities that failed to block the sale of the gun that police say dylann roof used to kill nine people last month in charleston. Heres what happened. Roof was arrested february 28th at a Shopping Mall in columbia South Carolina. A Police Report said he admitted illegally carrying a drug called suboxone. The fbi says if it had known that it would have blocked roof as an illegal drug user from buying a gun. He applied from a handgun in mid april at this South Carolina gun store which submitted his information to the fbi for a background check. Roofs criminal history rap sheet showed he was arrested in lexington county where the Sheriffs Office told the fbi to contact the columbia police. But the fbis data bases showed no such department in lexington county only a different one, the West Columbia Police Department which had no record of any arrest. The fbi says the examiner called the lexington county prosecutor but never heard back. So the background check was still under way after the threeday waiting period expired. Roof got his gun because federal law allows a gun sale to go ahead if the fbi hasnt blocked it. We are all sick this happened fbi director james comey said today, we wish we could turn back time. Fbi agents met today with family members of the shooting victims including the husband of myra thompson. When i found this out today, it made me angry. You know and i wasnt angry at dylann. I was angry at the system. Reporter some states that do their own background checks have longer waiting periods. And a former a techlt f official says that would help nationwide. Sometimes three days you just cant determine a persons absolute legal status to purchase a gun. Reporter and some big firearms dealers including walmart will not sell a gun even after the threeday waiting period if the background check isnt gun. Tonight the fbi director says this kind of failure because of a mistake in the data base is extremely rare but has ordered an immediate review to find out what changes should be made. Lester . Pete, thank you. Theres new fallout tonight in the massive hacking attack that xromds data on over 21 million americans. Heads are rolling at the top of the office of personal nell management just after a breach at the agents turned out to be drastically worse than we were originally told. Nbcs Chris Jansing has more on that. Reporter less than 24 hours after insisting she would not step down Catherine Archuleta came to the white house and resigned under pressure. Given the urgent challenges that theyre facing right now, its clear that a manager with a specialized set of skills and experiences is needed. Reporter under archuleta, highly personalized information of nearly 22 million americans who had federal background checks got into the hands of hackers. The question remains, will this resignation fix whats wrong . One of the fundamental problems is theyre still feeding the beast. Theyre still putting really Sensitive Information into a system that we know is not reporter right now opm plans to offer victims three years Identity Theft insurance. But democratic members of congress say only Lifetime Protection from cyber criminals is enough. They may do nothing now or they may do something years from now. And we think the government owes our federal employees and retirees at least that. Reporter an acting director has already been named to replace archuleta, and she has got a huge job ahead of her. Federal officials arent sure yet how long it will take to track down everyone affected when they might be notified or how much any of these proposed fixes will cost. Lester . Chris jansing at the white house. Thank you. An absolute gutwrenching story out of detroit tonight. A disgraced cancer doctor sentenced to 45 years in prison accused of bilking tens of millions of dollars from the federal government for unnecessary cancer treatments. Those treatments given to hundreds of patients many told they had cancer when they really didnt. Our senior Legal Correspondent Cynthia Mcfadden tells us more. Reporter you may wonder why all these people are wearing yellow. Its because they want to send a message to a federal judge. They wish that the doctor who betrayed them will never see the sun again. Prosecutors asked the judge to sentence dr. Farid fata to 175 years, while defense lawyers asked for 25. This we believe to be the most Serious Fraud case in the history of the country. Reporter the judge decided on 45 years. Guilty of giving more than 550 patients cancer treatments they didnt need while lining his own pockets with as much as 20 million. This is seemingly a very light sentence for the magnitude of this crime and how many people its affected. Reporter monica flagg is another of dr. Fatas victims. Treated with potent cancer drugs for a year. Eventually he sent her for chemotherapy. But she never had cancer. I received my first chemo on july 1st, 2013. And the day was horrible. It was a lot of stress a lot of emotion emotional just a really bad day. Reporter it got worse when that night she fell and broke her leg. I knew that my leg had been broken in half. I screamed for help. Ironically the accident may have saved her life and of that hundreds of others. Dr. So mongale was covering for dr. Fata. The patient underwent multiple blood, urine and radiologic testing. None of them indicated that patient ever had any active cancer. Reporter the doctor told her the good news. She did not have cancer. It was awesome. You know it was one of the happiest days of my life. Reporter but the joy was complicated by the misdiagnosis. So much suffering for nothing. Mofrkas case spurred dr. Mongale to investigate further. He discovered monica wasnt the only one. But it was dr. Fatas Office Manager George Karadsheh who alerted federal authorities. The victims reactions today were mixed. I feel some closure with it. I mean it will never no one wins today. Reporter people who trusted their doctor and were betrayed. Im glad he will spend the rest of his life behind bars. He wont be able to hurt anyone anymore. Dr. Fata broke down in court today, sobbing, telling the judge that power and greed had motivated him. Now, there is no probation in the federal system, and since dr. Fata is 50 years old the 45year sentence is effectively for life. Even with time off for Good Behavior there are numerous civil suits still pending. Lester . Really leaves you speechless. Just horrible. Cynthia, thank you. One of the great men of the big screen has died. Omar sharif suffered a heart attack in his native cairo at age 83 ending a distinguished decadeslong film career that included several of the most memorable roles in movie history. Think lawrence of arabia and dr. Zhivago. Heres nbcs anne thompson. Reporter on screen omar sharif personified romance. What an extraordinary dance. I know. Reporter riding to International Fame in one of the most dramatic entrances in movie history. From a speck on the horizon who is he . Reporter to a dashing exotic presence. This is my well. Reporter earning an oscar nomination for his role in lawrence of arabia. Stealing hearts as the physician poet in dr. Zhivago. If we had children, yuri, would you like a boy or a girl . I think we may go mad if we think about all that. Reporter then as Barbra Streisands leading man in funny girl. You are woman, i am man lets kiss the egyptianborn sharif said after his early success he took parts in bad movies just to pay his gambling debts. I was leading what i call a dissolute life which means a useless life. Reporter he finally quit gambling but kept acting making 92 films over his career. I think theres an element of luck involved which is very important in an actors career. Reporter three key roles that will keep omar sharif eternally romantic. Anne thompson, nbc news, new york. Weve got a lot more still ahead tonight. Our series burning up, the air war against unrelenting fire storms. Well meet the Rapid Response teams on high alert amidst scorching conditions. The fastest line of defense. Also the story behind a fast food run for the pope. His holiness and a whopper of a pit stop. S romantic why pause to take a pill . And why stop what youre doing to find a bathroom . With cialis for daily use, you dont have to plan around either. Its the only daily tablet approved to treat erectile dysfunction so you can be Ready Anytime the moment is right. Plus cialis treats the frustrating urinary symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently, day or night. Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. Do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain as it may cause an unsafe drop in Blood Pressure. Do not drink alcohol in excess. 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Insend yar incendiary conditions exacerbated by a crippling drought and fighting fire in these conditions is not only incredibly dangerous but difficult. The air attack is the fastest if not the only way to snuff out some of the flames. Our National Correspondent Miguel Almaguer has a look at some of the advances in the air and an aging fleet. Reporter its often the first choice for first responders. The air attack capable of snuffing out a wildfire before it really begins. For the Orange County aerial assault team minutes matter. Well just make our drop inside that canyon. Reporter the squadron of four helicopters operating at a cost of 2 million a year may be the most valuable asset in this Southern California tinderbox. These helicopters are worth their weight in gold because they can get up quickly and they can suppress the fire within minutes. Reporter nimble and agile, much of the air attack across the country is also aging. Some of the refurbished planes date back to the korean war. Highprofile accidents leek this c130 that killed three in 2002 and this plane in yosemite that went down last year can ground an entire fleet during the peak of fire season. For every minute that piece of equipment sits on the ground and is not airborne it gives that fire the opportunity to grow larger and cause more damage. Reporter dc10s are used to drop retardant. The 19 contracted air tankers move like chess pieces across the country. The aerial ballet even using the military for reinforcement. Its often helicopters that reach planes crews cant, providing rescues rescues, putting boots on the ground, even spotting fires ahead of time. From 1,000 feet up you can see just how dry this area is. One small flame in the topography below and a fire could blow out of control. On the other side of the fire reporter theyre now even using nightvision to fight fire around the clock. In a battle where time and precision matter the air attack has to be right on target. Miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. Were back in a moment with some other brave firefighters entering a burning home seconds before a giant explosion. If you have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Isnt it time to let the real you shine through . Introducing otezla apremilast. Otezla is not an injection or a cream. Its a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. Some people who took otezla saw 75 clearer skin after 4 months. And otezlas prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. Dont take otezla if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Otezla may increase the risk of depression. Tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts, or if these feelings develop. Some people taking otezla reported weight loss. Your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. 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Youll likely remember this awful scene. He suffered second and third degree burns over most of his body. But today after extensive treatment dern walked out in public for the First Time Since his accident. Im feeling pretty good. Weve had firefighters around me since the beginning, and its just very comforting to know that someones there all the time. Reporter doctors say captain dern has undergone 19 surgeries and still has a few more to go. A brave man. We wish him all the best. And heres something you dont see every day. The pope pulling over for a pit stop at a fast food joint. It happened yesterday at a mass in bolivia. Pope francis needed a place to make a quick change of clothes, and a burger king which was closed for the day near the site of the mass was an ideal location. When we come back how team usa made history again today in the streets of new york after their amazinging world cup victory. Nd of like you sometimes, grandpa. 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Stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you experience a sudden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. Ask your doctor about viagra. Finally tonight, a heros welcome here in new york for the u. S. Womens soccer team. Theyve already made history with their dominant win in the world cup. And now theyve done it again with an honor that no womens team before them could ever claim. Heres nbcs stephanie gosk. Reporter look at the faces. A onceinalifetime kind of thing. Usa usa reporter listen to the cheers. Usa we have the best fans in all of america. Were world champs baby reporter there really is very little doubt, the u. S. Womens soccer team deserved this parade today in manhattans canyon of heroes. The first for a womens sports team. Amazing for them to have this experience and these girls to witness this. Its just fantastic. Reporter this is the teams third world cup victory. A tournament record. The cup itself was held high along the 20block parade route. A sea of red, white and blue. There have been a lot of heroes that have walked down this canyon. Astronauts the military sports teams. But never a team quite like this. The womens soccer team. What an incredible day. Its the high point of olympic day in new york city. Reporter the last time a ticker tape parade was held here solely for a woman as cheechlt achievement was 55 years ago honoring figure skating medalist carol heiss jenkins. Today at city hall all of this for us started when we were very little and we had a dream. Reporter star forward abby wambach credited the womens victory to a shared childhood goal. None of us ever stopped believing, and neither should you guys. Reporter from this stage their message was heard loud and clear. Stephanie gosk nbc news new york. That will do it for us on a friday night. Im lester holt. For all of us at nbc news thank you for watching. Have a great night and a good weekend. It has not been an easy 24 hours. I apologize for my poor choice of words and for my just how far does ariannas