>>> TONIGHT, THE HOLIDAY TRAVEL RUSH IN
FULL FORCE AS THE HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DELTA VARIANT SPREADS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IT'S EXPECTED TO BE ONE OF THE BUSIEST
FOURTH OF JULY WEEKENDS ON RECORD. NEARLY 50 MILLION
AMERICANS PROJECTED TO TRAVEL, THE MOST SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN.
BUT THE HEADACHES, MASSIVE LINES AT THE AIRPORT, AND PRICES
SURGING ON EVERYTHING FROM HOTELS TO RENTAL CARS TO GAS.
IT ALSO COMES AS COVID CASES RISE NATIONWIDE. BUT ENCOURAGING NEWS
ON JOHNSON & JOHNSON'S COVID VACCINE. HOW WELL DOES IT
PROTECT FROM DELTA? >>> JUST IN, THE MAYOR SIGNING A EMERGENCY
ORDER TO DEMOLISH THE REST OF THAT COLLAPSED FLORIDA CONDO.
THE RISING TOLL AND THE TRAGIC DISCOVERY. THE 7-YEAR-OLD
DAUGHTER OF A FIREFIGHTER FOUND IN THE RUBBLE.
>>> ALSO, THE POTENTIAL THREAT TO THE CONDO SEARCH FROM
ELSA, THE FIRST ATLANTIC HURRICANE OF 2021.
THE NEW TRACK AS WE COME ON THE AIR TONIGHT.
>>> THE MAJOR MILESTONE IN THE WITHDRAWAL FROM
AFGHANISTAN. U.S. TROOPS LEAVING THE LARGEST BASE IN
THE COUNTRY. OUR RICHARD ENGEL ON THE GROUND
TESTING POSITIVE FOR MARIJUANA. COULD SHE STILL
COMPETE IN TOKYO? >> Announcer: THIS IS "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS"
WITH LESTER HOLT. >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
DETERMINED NOT TO LOSE ANOTHER SUMMER TO COVID, INDEPENDENCE
DAY WILL TAKE ON AN ADDITIONAL MEETING FOR A LOT OF AMERICANS
THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND, READY TO CELEBRATE TOUCHSTONES OF SUMMERS
OLD, FROM BIG GATHERINGS TO BIG TRAVEL PLANS PROJECTED
TO RIVAL PREVIOUS ALL-TIME RECORDS FOR THE WEEKEND.
AND WHILE THAT CERTAINLY SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE BACK, IT WILL
NOT BE LIKE THE GOOD OLD DAYS FOR MANY, NOT WITH THE HIGHLY
CONTAGIOUS DELTA COVID VARIANT RAPIDLY SPREADING IN THIS
COUNTRY. CERTAIN TO PUT MORE UNPROTECTED PEOPLE AT
RISK. WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT.
BUT FIRST, TOM COSTELLO AND WHAT TO EXPECT AS ALL THAT
PENT-UP TRAVEL DEMAND SPILLS OUT INTO HIGHWAYS AND RUNWAYS.
>> Reporter: IT'S A JULY 4th GETAWAY LOOKING MORE LIKE A
THANKSGIVING TRAVEL RUSH. FROM THE ROADS TO THE
AIRPORTS, 48 MILLION OF US, PROBABLY MORE, ARE ON THE MOVE.
THE SECOND BUSIEST INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND EVER.
>> YEAH, I'M EXCITED TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. >> Reporter: AND WE'RE PAYING MORE AT JUST
ABOUT EVERY TURN. HOTEL PRICES UP TO 35% MORE OVER LAST YEAR.
RENTAL CAR PRICES UP 86%. AND GAS PRICES ARE
REBOUNDING, ALONG WITH THE ECONOMY. NOW AVERAGING $3.12 A
GALLON, NEARLY A DOLLAR MORE THAN A YEAR AGO.
BOB JACKSON GASSING UP IN PHILLY. >> GOOD ENOUGH TO GET
OVER THE BRIDGE BY NEW JERSEY WHERE IT'S CHEAPER.
>> Reporter: CALIFORNIANS ARE PAYING THE MOST, $4.28
A GALLON. MISSISSIPPIANS ARE PAYING THE LEAST,
$2.75. WHILE THE VAST MAJORITY OF US ARE
TRAVELING BY CAR, 2.1 MILLION PEOPLE WENT THROUGH CHECKPOINTS ON
THURSDAY. >> PEOPLE ARE READY. PEOPLE CAN'T WAIT TO
GET OUT, CAN'T WAIT. >> Reporter: BECAUSE THE SURGE IN AIRLINE
TRAFFIC CAME ON SO FAST, MANY AIRLINES WEREN'T READY, AND NOW
PLANES ARE FULL. UNITED AIRLINES CEO SCOTT KIRBY NOW
EXPECTS A SURGE OF RETURNING BUSINESS TRAVELERS IN THE FALL.
>> I THINK ZOOM IS GOING TO BE A GREAT REPLACEMENT FOR PHONE
CALLS, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A GREAT REPLACEMENT FOR
INTERPERSON INTERACTION. >> Reporter:
MEANWHILE, AMID A STAGGERING 3200 REPORTS OF BAD
PASSENGER BEHAVIOR THIS YEAR, INCLUDING ONBOARD FIGHTS.
THE FAA IS NOW USING CHILDREN TO APPEAL TO ADULTS TO BEHAVE.
>> FIGHTING IS NOT GOOD WHEN YOU'RE ON A PLANE.
>> THEY'LL GO TO JAIL IF THEY KEEP DOING THAT STUFF.
>> I WOULD BE REALLY SCARED. >> YOU CAN DISTRACT
THE PILOT IF IT GETS THAT BAD. >> BOY, OUT OF THE
MOUTHS OF BABES. AND TOM, LET'S FACE IT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVEN'T TRAVELLED IN 18 MONTHS OR MORE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO SOME OF THE LONG LINES AT
AIRPORTS. >> YEAH, PEOPLE ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH NEW
TSA PROCEDURES FOR CHECKING IDs. THE MASK REQUIREMENT
SLOWING LINES DOWN A LITTLE BIT. SO GET TO THE AIRPORT
EARLY WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO MAKE SURE YOU MAKE YOUR
FLIGHTS. LESTER? >> TOM, THANK YOU.
AS I MENTIONED AT THE TOP, THIS TRAVEL SURGE COMES AS THE DELTA
VARIANT IS FUELLING A RISE IN NEW COVID CASES OF THE U.S.
BUT THERE IS SOME ENCOURAGING NEWS TONIGHT ON THE VACCINE
FRONT. HERE IS MIGUEL ALMAGUER.
>> ARE YOU READY? >> Reporter: HOPING TO REASSURE THE 11
MILLION AMERICANS INOCULATED WITH J&J, TONIGHT JOHNSON &
JOHNSON SAYS THEIR OWN STUDY PROVES ITS VACCINE IS EFFECTIVE
AGAINST THE CONTAGIOUS AND DANGEROUS DELTA VARIANT.
ACCOUNTING FOR A QUARTER OF ALL NEW CASES, ALL THREE
VACCINES OFFER A HIGH LEVEL OF PROTECTION AGAINST DELTA, BUT
ROUGHLY 147 MILLION AMERICANS STILL HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED.
>> WE ARE CERTAINLY NOT DONE WITH THIS PANDEMIC.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE CASE. BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO
CAUSE A NATIONAL EPIDEMIC. IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH
MORE REGIONAL. >> Reporter: WITH THE WHITE HOUSE DEPLOYING
SURGE RESPONSE TEAMS TO EMERGING OUTBREAKS, THIS FOURTH OF JULY
WEEKEND, THE U.S. IS EXPECTED TO FALL SHORT OF THE PRESIDENT'S
GOAL, PARTIALLY VACCINATING 70% OF ALL ADULTS.
>> I AM CONCERNED. LIVES WILL BE LOST. >> Reporter: WITH
MILLIONS ON THE MOVE -- >> WERE YOU NERVOUS?
>> VACCINATED. WE'VE GOT OUR MASKS. >> Reporter: AND MANY
CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAY WITH LARGE GATHERINGS --
>> THERE IS STILL THE VARIANTS OUT THERE. >> Reporter: ST. LOUIS
IS NOW FOLLOWING L.A.'S LEAD, ASKING EVEN THE VACCINATED TO
VOLUNTARILY WEAR FACE MASKS AGAIN INSIDE PUBLIC SPACES.
THE PRESIDENT AND DR. FAUCI DON'T EXPECT ANOTHER NATIONWIDE
OUTBREAK. BUT THERE IS FEAR WE'RE LIVING IN TWO
AMERICAS, THE VACCINATED WHO ARE PROTECTED AND THE
UNVACCINATED WHO ARE VULNERABLE. LESTER?
>> ALL RIGHT, MIGUEL, THANK YOU. >>> SEVERAL
LATE-BREAKING DEVELOPMENTS IN THAT CONDO COLLAPSE IN
SURFSIDE, FLORIDA. TWO MORE VICTIMS WERE JUST RECOVERED FROM
THE RUBBLE, AND NEW SURGE CONCERNS RELATED TO THAT HURRICANE
BREWING OFFSHORE. MORGAN CHESKY REPORTS. >> THE VIDEO IS ALL I
SEE WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES, BECAUSE TO ME THAT'S THE MOMENT I'M
WATCHING MY MOM AND MY GRANDMOTHER DIE. >> Reporter: TONIGHT
PGA RODRIGUEZ PART OF A GROWING NUMBER, CALLING FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE CHAMPLAIN TOWERS COLLAPSE.
HIS MOTHER AND ABUELA TWO OF THE MORE THAN 120 PEOPLE STILL
MISSING. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS NEVER HAPPENS?
>> I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS NEVER HAPPENS. THIS WASN'T A TERROR
ATTACK. THIS WASN'T AN EARTHQUAKE.
THIS WAS NEGLIGENCE AND LACK OF OVERSIGHT. >> Reporter: TONIGHT
THE DEATH TOLL RISING TO 22, WITH A TRAGIC TURN FOR THE MIAMI
FIRE DEPARTMENT. A 7-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER OF A FIREFIGHTER FOUND
IN THE RUBBLE. >> BUT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
AND LAST NIGHT WAS EVEN MORE. >> Reporter: WHAT'S
LEFT OF THE TOWER SO UNSAFE, DEMOLITION PLANS NOW UNDER WAY.
OFFICIALS STRESSING IT WON'T SLOW DOWN SEARCH AND RESCUE.
MEANWHILE, A NEW PROBLEM BREWING OFFSHORE.
HURRICANE ELSA SETTING ITS SIGHTS ON SOUTH FLORIDA.
CONTINGENCY PLANS ALREADY IN PLAY. FOR ARTIST ROBERT
MARQUEZ, THE PLAN IS TO PAINT HIS MURAL OF THE TOWER A TRIBUTE TO
THOSE LOST AND YET TO BE FOUND. WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE
FOR EVERYONE HERE IN SURFSIDE WITH THIS? >> I WOULD SAY HOPE.
WE GOT TO KEEP ON BELIEVING. BECAUSE THE MOMENT WE
LOSE THAT, WHAT ELSE WE HAVE THAT? >> Reporter: A
PORTRAIT OF LOSS OUTLASTING THE TOWER, BUT NOT THE PAIN.
MORGAN CHESKY, NBC NEWS, SURFSIDE, FLORIDA.
>>> AND METEOROLOGIST DYLAN DREYER IS TRACKING HURRICANE
ELSA FOR US. DYLAN? >> GOOD EVENING,
LESTER. HURRICANE ELSA IS NOW THE FIRST HURRICANE OF
THIS SEASON, THREE WEEKS EARLIER THAN THE FIRST HURRICANE LAST
SEASON. AND WINDS ARE AT 85 MILES PER HOUR, BUT
IT'S MOVING FAST WEST AT 35 MILES PER HOUR. WE DO HAVE TO KEEP AN
EYE ON WHERE THIS STORM GOES EARLY NEXT WEEK AND HOW IT WILL
IMPACT FLORIDA. IN THE MEANTIME, ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN,
WE WILL LIKELY SEE 1 TO 3-FOOT STORM SURGE. WE COULD END UP WITH
VERY GUSTY WINDS AND >>> NEARLY 20 YEARS AFTER AMERICA'S
LONGEST WAR BEGAN, U.S. TROOPS LEFT THE LARGEST BASE IN
AFGHANISTAN TODAY, A MAJOR STEP IN FULFILLING PRESIDENT
BIDEN'S ORDER TO WITHDRAW BY SEPTEMBER 11th.
BUT IT COMES AS THE TALIBAN QUICKLY MOVES TO FILL THE VOID.
RICHARD ENGEL IS IN AFGHANISTAN FOR US TONIGHT.
>> Reporter: THE LAST AMERICAN TROOPS CLEARED OUT OF BAGRAM
AIR BASE WITHOUT CELEBRATIONS OR FANFARE.
THE U.S. MILITARY CITING SECURITY CONCERNS IS NOT SAYING
WHEN OR HOW U.S. TROOPS ARE LEAVING. BASES ARE SHUTTING
DOWN WITHOUT HARDLY A PEEP. AT THE WHITE HOUSE,
PRESIDENT BIDEN ALSO DID NOT WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO
AFGHANISTAN, BRISTLING WHEN REPORTERS PRESSED HIM TODAY ABOUT THE
IMPACT OF THE WITHDRAWAL. >> ARE YOU WORRIED
THAT THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT MIGHT FALL? >> I THINK THEY HAVE
THE CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE GOVERNMENT.
>> ON AFGHANISTAN -- >> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HAPPY THINGS,
MAN. >> AFGHANISTAN -- >> I'M NOT GOING
ANSWER ANY MORE QUESTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN.
LOOK, IT'S FOURTH OF JULY. >> Reporter: BUT NOT
TALKING ABOUT IT WON'T STOP THIS. AS U.S. TROOPS LEAVE,
SOME AFGHAN SECURITY UNITS ARE COLLAPSING. THE TALIBAN'S
PROPAGANDA CHANNELS IN CONFIRMED EVENTS SHOW AFGHAN POLICE AND
SOLDIERS GIVING UP THEIR BASES AND THEIR WEAPONS.
THE TALIBAN HAVE EVEN BEEN HANDING OUT POCKET MONEY TO PAY
FOR THEIR TRANSPORT HOME. HUMILIATION.
MOST AFGHANS DO NOT WANT THE TALIBAN TO RETURN.
THIS MAN IS STUDYING TO BE A COMPUTER ENGINEER.
HE TAUGHT HIMSELF ENGLISH LISTENING TO VOICE OF AMERICA
RADIO. >> ALL AFGHANISTAN GOING TO BE THE SAME
AS BEFORE. NO EDUCATION, NO FREEDOM.
THERE IS NO TV, THERE IS NO BROADCAST, ANYTHING.
>> Reporter: 2,442 AMERICANS DIED IN THIS WAR, BUT FOR YEARS
IT'S MAINLY BEEN A TRAINING MISSION TO PROP UP THE AFGHAN
SECURITY SERVICES. BY SEPTEMBER, NEARLY ALL U.S. TROOPS WILL
BE GONE, AND IT'S THE TALIBAN WHO ARE NOW CELEBRATING AS
AMERICANS LEAVE IN SILENCE. THOUSANDS OF AFGHAN
TRANSLATORS WHO FOUGHT ALONGSIDE U.S. TROOPS ALSO FEAR WHAT MAY BE
COMING. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS
PROMISED TO RESETTLE MANY OF THEM IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT THE
DETAILS ARE STILL UNCLEAR AND THE TRANSLATORS ARE STILL
HERE AND AFRAID. LESTER? >> RICHARD ENGEL IN
KABUL TONIGHT, THANKS. AND THE RISE OF THE TALIBAN ONCE AGAIN IN
AFGHANISTAN POSE AS A SIGNIFICANT DANGER TO THE COUNTRY'S WOMEN
AND GIRLS. ANDREA MITCHELL JOINS US NOW TO TALK ABOUT
THAT. WHAT'S THE BIGGEST DANGER, ANDREA?
>> LESTER, WOMEN AND GIRLS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL, HOLD
JOBS AND TAKE POSITIONS IN GOVERNMENT SINCE THE
AMERICANS CAME. BUT ALL THAT WAS BANNED UNDER TALIBAN
RULE WITH VIOLATORS SUBJECTED TO BEATINGS OR WORSE.
YOUNG WOMEN HAVE NEVER KNOWN ANYTHING BUT THE FREEDOMS THEY WON OVER
THE LAST DECADES. LEADING DEMOCRATIC SENATORS SAY THE
ADMINISTRATION IS NOT DOING ENOUGH TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS.
AND EVEN IF THE TALIBAN DON'T TAKE OVER, THE MOST RECENT
U.N. STUDY FOUND TWO-THIRDS OF AFGHAN MEN SAID WOMEN HAVE
TOO MANY RIGHTS. LESTER? >> ALL RIGHT.
ANDREA MITCHELL, THANK YOU. >>> STRONG SIGNS THE
U.S. ECONOMY IS RECOVERING, BUT THERE IS STILL A WAYS TO GO
BEFORE WE GET BACK TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
PETER ALEXANDER IS AT THE WHITE HOUSE. PETER, WHAT DOES THIS
MEAN FOR AMERICANS LOOKING FOR WORK? >> LESTER, EMPLOYERS
HIRED MORE AMERICANS IN JUNE THAN AT ANY TIME IN THE LAST TEN
MONTHS. 850,000 NEW JOBS AS VACCINATION RATES RISE
AND AMERICANS RETURN TO RESTAURANTS AND THEATERS AND BALL
PARKS. STILL, UNEMPLOYMENT TICKED UP LAST MONTH,
HOVERING JUST BELOW 6%, DESPITE THE FACT THERE WERE MORE THAN
NINE MILLION OPEN JOBS IN THE COUNTRY. AND ANOTHER CHALLENGE
RIGHT NOW, BLACK ON THE SIDELINES, BUT STILL WITH GOLD IN HER
SIGHTS. KRISTEN DAHLGREN, NBC NEWS.
>>> THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA HAS REACHED AN AGREEMENT, AN
UNPRECEDENTED SETTLEMENT WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SEXUAL
ABUSE VICTIMS. ANNE THOMPSON NOW ON WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE
SURVIVORS. >> Reporter: THE BOY SCOUTS, LONG A SYMBOL
OF AMERICAN VALUES, AGREEING TO AN HISTORIC SEXUAL ABUSE
SETTLEMENT. >> DOES IT MAKE ME FORGET?
IT CAN'T. >> Reporter: JEFF WILLIAMS SAYS HE WAS
JUST 9 YEARS OLD WHEN A SCOUT LEADER ABUSED HIM, ABUSE THAT LASTED
TWO YEARS. HE'S ONE OF 84,000 SURVIVORS WHO WILL
SHARE AT LEAST $850 MILLION. IS THIS ABOUT MONEY OR
IS IT ABOUT SOMETHING MORE? >> DEFINITELY MORE.
THIS IS ABOUT THEM TAKING RESPONSIBILITY. >> IT'S REALLY JUST A
DOWN PAYMENT. THERE ARE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF INSURANCE
PROCEEDS WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE SURVIVORS AT THE END
OF THIS BANKRUPTCY. >> Reporter: THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
CALLS THE SETTLEMENT A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN ITS DUAL
IMPERATIVES OF EQUITABLY COMPENSATING SURVIVORS OF ABUSE AND
PRESERVING THE MISSION OF SCOUTING. THE BOY SCOUTS FILED
BANKRUPTCY LAST YEAR. WHEN IT EXITS, IT WILL BE A MUCH SMALLER
ORGANIZATION. MEMBERSHIP DECLINING 61% SINCE 2019.
BUT WILLIAMS WANTS THE SCOUTS TO SURVIVE. >> I THINK THAT A LOT
OF KIDS GAIN A LOT OF THINGS OUT OF IT, BUT TO HAVE THOSE
EXPERIENCES, THEY NEED TO BE SAFE. >> Reporter: TO MAKE
SURE A SCOUT'S HONOR IS A PROMISE KEPT. ANNE THOMPSON, NBC
NEWS. >>> AND COMING UP FOR US TON