Governor digging in this morning. Plus, ole miss murder mystery. The desperate search for a killer in a college town. Home sick. The suste that j voted to let students take Mental Health days to miss school. Nd a tokyo 2020. Its one year from the summerpi olymcs from new sports to beloved stars, the road to olympic glory starts today, tuesday, july 23rd,. From nbc news, this is today, with Savannah Guthrie and hoda kotb. Live from studio1a in ro rockefr plaza. Hi, everybody. Welcome to today. Nice to have you with us on a tuesday morning. Nice to have you with us, willie. One year from today, well be in tokyo. I came on the right day. Well be getting ready for tokyo one yeartw out with of the new oly sports. Skateboarding and rock climbing. Well meet some past olympic ampions and some olympic hopefuls. You think theres olympic skateboarding or snowboarding in the rain . We have a rainy plaza, but were hoping to show some of the sports off. Shaun white also here with a announcement. Lets get right to the weather, though. The deadly heat wave has broken, but now we have the rain. You can seeurit, of co, the east coast hit hard by severe thunderstorms, flash flooding. The wet wer causing serious traffic problems from the roads to the ai orts. Well get to als forecast in a moment first, Morgan Radford withe weary travelers. You got caught up in all of this. Thats right, savannah. Good morning. Some pretty created dangerous conditions, both on the ground and in the air. Like others, i just happened to be traveling yesterday,nd it took one diverted plane, two separate flights, and an d impromptu roarip just to get me back in new york. These storms came in fast, they came in furious, and dumped tons of rain, leaving chaos in their wake. Severe s arms sweepingoss the east coast. Oh, man. Ma its a geyser. Creating travel nightmares in the region toughout the ght. In the tristate area, more than 200,000 homes without power. Most of them in new jersey. Torrential downpours causing serious flooding in the new york metro area. Bringing traffic onaj one m highway to a complete stop during the evening e. Commut new york cit riders inundated by unexpected indoor waterfalls, while this normally bustling street in brooklyn loed more like a river. One new yorker bravely walking through flood waters up to her thighs. At airports, delayed and canceled piled up. Some passengers stranded on the tarm and in the terminals. While others were stuck in the air. Er were vy frustrated, tired, ano we want to g home. Around craig melvin, surrounded by frustrated fliers at new Jersey International airport after his own flight was delayed more than five hours and my own flight from atlanta to laguardia was diverted and sent back after more than two hours in the r. People are now on their phones, trying to reschedule their flights, waiting in line, calling their lovedones, letting them know they may not beble to get home as planned. A region recovering from days of extreme heat, now suffering from even more unpredictable weather. Much of those flood waters have since receded, but there are still hundreds of flights that have either been delayed orhi canceled w is why airlines are asking passengers if theyre traveling this morning to check in with them before they head to the airport. Again, hot mess. I think thats a meteorological term. Speaking of meteorological terms, al is here with a lk at the forecast. How is it looking out there . Not that great right now. Unfortunately, if youre traveling by roa or air, youre going to have problems. Flash flood watches and warnings from knoxville to the northeast and new england. You can see the heavy raine ove ew york area, moving up into boston and theres more back to the west. Why . We have this frontal systemoo bringing ther air, but its also developing low pressure along it, so the slow movingnt bringing rain. A Severe Threat into the carolinas late tonight into tomorrow. Ine front pushes into the southeast, bring heavy rain down into florida. And theres a tropical depression just off floridas eastcoast. 40 miles eastnortheast of west palm beach. Winds at 35 miles per hour. Itsauoing to gett up in the cold front pushing to the south, thats going to tear it apart, maybe bringing more rain to the carolinas. Thats where our heaviest rain is going to be through wednesday. Anywhere from 2 to 4 inches, but locally could be more from t virginia allhe way down to florida. Willie and savannah. There forery ugly out a lot of people. Well have more on the Severe Weather later this morning. We turn now to washington and nse highstake testimony of former special c robert mueller, only 24 hours away. Fmocrats will schedule a practice session prepare for the long anticipated hearing. While the president says he will be watching some of it along with mlions of others. White house correspondent Kristen Welker has the lettest. Kristen, good morning. Good morning to you. It is high stakes on boa sides of pvenue with muellers testimony looming. Democrats on the house judiciary cooited t hold a prep session later this afternoon. Democrats on the Intel Committee has been preparing. The white house and the president s team are bracing for impact as the Justice Department issues a blunt warning to robert aeller. He may be reluctant witness, but in 24 hours. Robert mueller will be in the hot seat. This morning, new details about his testimony. A mueller spokesman tells nbc news the former special counsel will deliver an Opening Statement and then offer his entire 448page report as his full statement f the record. The Justice Department citing public interest. We chose those words carefully and the work speaks for itself. And t report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before congress. President trump striking a defiant note ahead of muellers highly antated appearance. The report was written. It said no collusion. The report was itten. And the attorney general based on the report was easily able to nd there was no obstruction. Thernos no ing. Theyre wasting their time. And after saying he wont watch mueller, the president now sialing he may tune in. Im not going to be watching, probably. Maybe ill see a little bit. Im not going to bin watch mueller because you cant take all those bites out of the apple. The investigation found insufficient evidence to establish a criminal conspiracy betweenrump campaign and russia, which interfered in the 2016 election. But mueller notably didot make a determination about whether the president obstructed justice and he said he followed Justice Department policy that forbids indicting a sitting esident. Kristen, this is, as we know, a 400page report. Youre talking about a few hours of testimony. Do lawmakers know wh specifically they want to ask mueller about . Well, savannah, they have s questions. Amony questions, theyre going to ask whether mueller believesrump could be indicted if he werent president. Why mueller never forced the president to sit for an interview, and whyidnt mueller talk to donald trump jr. , who of course, attended that Infamous Trump towerg meetinuring the campaign. Republicans will likely try to drill down on when exactly mueller determined there was not penough evidence tove a conspiracy between the Trump Campaign and russia. All over five hours of testimony. Savannah and rillie. Allt, Kristen Welker, thank you. And nbc news will provide live coverage of the mueller hearing. Me, lesten holt, and chuck todd starting tomorrow at 8 15 eastern time right here on nbc. We turn now to the enormous rotests in puerto rico that paralyzed the streets of san juan with hundreds of thousands of people there calling for the governor to resign in the face ofwing andal. Gabe gutierrez iju in san for us. Good morning. Good morning. This was the largest demonstration here in puerto rico by far. Came as the embattled governor gave his first interview since rve crisis began. An inteiew that may have added morehe fuel to the fir. Overnight, the chorus in puerto rico demanding the governors resiation grew even louder. Police once again lobbing tear gas to break up the crowds. The protesters convged here on the streets of old san juan right in front of the Governors Mansion like theyeave for mor than a week, but this day was differ it was the largest demonstration by far. Hundreds of thousands o people from across the island brought san juan to a standstill. There has been corruption, and we need a. Change and we need the governor to resign. Protesters here included pop star in new york, demonstrators at Grand Central terminal didinot Ricardo Rossellos announcement he would not seek reelection next year was enough. Everything that was said, i assume responsibility for, i apologize for it. On fox news, he reiterated he wouldesotn immediately, though he struggled to explain orw he would stay in office. Govern, youre not able to give me the name of one person in puerto rico who supports you continuing as governor, is that correct . I can. So the mayor, for example. But the mayor of San Sebastian tells nbc news he actually does not support the governor. The political crisis has exploded nearly 900 pages of a private group chat between rossello and several closere ais we leaked and published. The messages include personal attacks on rival politicians, antigay slurs and even jokes about the dead after hurricane maria. Thats why im here, to represent all of the people that were lost. This woman says her sick father died in the chaotic days after the storm. You cant imagine. Agine. For her, and so many others here, this is about much more thanat private many of the protesters here see this as anger boiling over afteh they call years of government corruption here in puerto rico. Local lawmakers are already talking a ut possibly impeaching the governor, but even if he did resign, there is no clear successor. The person who would have been next in line resigned when the chats became public. Savannah and willie. Those are decades ofat frustrn pouring into the streets there. Mugabe, thank you so. Breaking news out of london this morning. Theres a new Prime Minister for britain, notsa necesly a new direction, though. Power will remain in the conservative power, echoing a global trend. Ri bos johnson will take over from theresa may. Bill neely has the latest from 10 downingstreet. Good morning. Good morning, savannah. Boris johnson is the new Prime Minister, at least he will be tomorrow. President trump calls him a friend. To most brits, hes known simply as boris, and tomorrow, hell walk through the door and become britains new Prime Minister. In the last few minutes, he defeated his rival. His herits a crisis in party and in a deeply divided country. Therefore, can give notice that Boris Johnson is elected. Ambition fulfilled. Boris johnson elected this morning by his party, meeting the queen tomorrow to be confirmed prime. But johns is a divisive figure, seen by many as britains donald trump. Long brash, fond of antiimmigrant rhetoric, hes spent his career twisting the truth, and a new yorker. You were born in new york. I was born in new york. President trump often braising him. Boris johnson i think would be a great Prime Minister. Thougso johnn, when mayor of london, wasnt too k dona t trump. Ihink hes portraying a quite stupefying ignorance that makes him frankly unfit to hold the office of president of the United States. All changed by this year. Ive got a Good Relationship with the whi house, the United States is, has been, will be for the foreseeable future our number one political military friend and partner. Outgoing Prime Minister theresa may had an awkwardit relationship donald trump. Johnson, like the president , is an unpredictable maverick. Though few politicians have ever been seenike is. Stuck on a zip line during then loon olympics. Get me a ladder. But nothing seemed to get in his way. He was cheerleader in chief fort brex to get britain out of the european union. Seize this chance and make this our moment to stand tall in the world. Now, he has to deliver. Hesed pledg that do or die, britain will leave europe by november. Johnson, who cultivates an untidylook, inherits a mess. Hell need all his charm to put it right and unite his country. So bill, the man who cultivates an untidy mess, as you said right hthere, h an integ relationship wit president trump, who praised Boris Johnson in the past. What kind of relationship should we expect between the timeout gogforward . Well, probably a good one, but the first thing Boris Johnson wants from Donald Trumpt is ade deal. And hell probably try to fly to the u. S. As sn as he can to do that. No question,e is a friend of the u. S. But on some issues, for example, iran, britain a the u. S. Dont se eye, and he inherits a huge set of problems. Number one. Number two, he has no electoral mandate from the british public, and number three, he hasnt got a lot of time to convince them. Back to you. Well be watching. Bill, thank you verymuch. Also this mornin fate of the 9 11ms victi compensation bill now in the hands of the senate. The legislation would provide health care for those who hel dd ins and weeks after the september 11th terror attacks. But the entire process to solidify the funding has notn been a easy one. Kasie hunt is in washington with the latest on what to expect from todays vote. Good morning. Willie, good morning to you. There have been months of uncertainty for these 9 11 First Responders who are now fighting for their health. And politics may finally be getting out of the way. A vote to guarantee them health care for life is set for a vote in the se later today. All eyes on capitol hill this morning. As the senate holds aal fin vote he a bill that would provide lifelong m to t First Responders andrs survivo of the september 11th terror attacks. A unanimous yes would renew the Victim Compensation fund forei t more decades. Helping those suffering from 9 11 related illnesses. Advocates making one last plea to lawm wers. Re very hopeful that it will go through. It should go through. Its the right thing to do. Rand pnel was o of two republican senator delaying last weeks procedural vote, temporily blocking the extension of the fund. Any new program thats going to have the longevity of 70, 80 years, sho bule com jon stt, a. Longtime advocate for 91 responders slamming senator paul for his opposition. Pardon me if im not impressed in any way by rand pauls fiscay responsibil virtue signaling. Stewart expressing outrage after delivering an impassioned speech before congres last month. Your indifference cost these men and women their most valuable commodity, time. The comedian then sharing the National Spotlight with luis alvarez, the orretired new y Police Detective fighting for his fellow First Responders asgh he also fou for his life. You made me come down here the day before my 69th round of chemo. In alvarez los his battle with stage 4 cancer just weeks later. An illness he believes resulted from his work at ground zero for three months. These funds are needed more than ever. Two more retired new york yirefighters d just last week from 9 11related cancers. If the bill passes thesenate, its going to head to president trumps desk for his signature. All right, thank you very much. 7 18. Lets go right to al, get the rest of the weather. Lets show you what weve got going on. E again, w have that wet weather here in the southeast, and in the midatlantic states, and even into new england, but outs we gorgeous weather. The front has cleared. Drier air, cooler air, and plenty of sunshine. Strong storms firing up in the westernplains. Wet weather down through the southwest and along the west coast were looking at gorgeous stuff. Well get to your local foreccot ng up in the next 30 se good morning. Im storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell. Rain moving into the d. C. Metro be ready for the morning commute all the way to the afternoon as well. No heavy ranl, no Severe Weather. No thunderstorms to worry about. Pockets of light to moderate rain will be with us for much of the day. Temperatures in the upper 60s t7 around now. With the clouds and rain, well stay in the s today. The heat wave is officially done. Well goun back toine and low humidity tomorrow. Thats your latest weather. Tnk you. Coming up, a murder mystery in mississippi. The desperate search this ntrning to find the killer of a 21yearold stu at ole miss. Plus, the radical move being made to keep students safe at school by giving them Mental Health d off. The push by one state that could have an impact across the country, but first, this is t. We have a big morning plannedlan our p. Were kicking off our planned on our plaza. Were kicki off our one year to tokyo countdown. We have a list of hopefuls getting ready to go for gold. Well meet them and say hello to shaun white after your loca. 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