Temperatures expected to be in the 90s. And they could stay there for days. The cleanup from that crushing storm that downed trees and destroyed homes and businesses is just getting started. We are going to have to talk about this disaster in weeks, not days. And theyre not alone. Millions in the southeast now facing the possibility of Severe Weather today, angie is tracking it all. Brutal assault, newly released Surveillance Video shows what appears to be Sean Diddy Combs attacking his then girlfriend at a California Hotel in 2016, where the investigation into combs could go from here, orange to green Scottie Scheffler, the worlds number one golfer, is arrested and thrown in jail just before the second round of the pga championship. I did spend some time stretching in a jail cell. That was a first for me. Despite it all, scheffler shined on the greens near the top of the leaderboard this morning, remembering Dabney Coleman, the beloved actor who starred in classic movies like 9 to 5 and tootsie. Dead at the age of 92. Those stories plus keeping pace, the Indiana Pacers roll past the New York Knicks in game six of their second round series. Neymar fakes stripped of the ball, knocked loose. Shot clock at two. Siakam jump shot. Thats good. And that means the two teams will face off this weekend in a Decisive Game seven at Madison Square garden. Both sides looking to advance today saturday, may 18th, 2024. From nbc news. This is today with Peter Alexander and laura jarrett. Live from studio onea in rockefeller plaza. Welcome to today and thank you for joining us on this saturday morning. Madison square garden is going to be rocking tomorrow night. But this weekend, as we get started, were focused on trying to stick the landing. Right. Im ready. I think we all need just a little bit of levity this summer, and were going to get a first taste this weekend, right . Thats for sure. Were talking about gymnastics and among the weekends biggest highlights, making history on the mats and the vault and the balance beams. We are in for a treat. For the first time ever, were going to see three olympic all around Gold Medalists simone biles, suni lee, Gabby Douglas going head to head. They are all vying for prize spots on team usa at the paris Olympic Games. So much to look forward to there. But our top story this morning is, of course the weather. Its going to be hot. Very hot today in houston, which is bad news for hundreds of thousands of residents. Still without power after strong storms rolled through on thursday. Were going to get angies forecast and forecast in just a minute. But first, nbcs priscilla thompson. She is in hard hit houston with the very latest there. Priscilla, good morning. Yeah peter laura good morning at this hour, there are still more than half a Million People without power across texas and louisiana , in large part due to these downed transmission towers that could take weeks to repair. Now, overnight, President Biden approved a disaster declaration as residents here in texas are once again cleaning up. This morning, cars crushed, homes caved in, businesses crumbled after a wave of vicious and deadly storms tore through louisiana and texas. Im normally sitting right there, kathleen cox, whos battling cancer, was home when this tree came crashing in. I cant say that im perfect, but im okay. More than 100 mile per hour winds pounded houston. People seen here sheltering in a costco and running for cover as rain poured into Minute Maid Park during the astros game in downtown houston. The ground is still covered with glass, just a fraction of what fell as the storm busted out. Windows and skyscrapers like this. Officials say at least seven people were killed. Horrible accident with a family tree fell. Went right through the drivers compartment with children in the back. The torrential rain fueling dangerous floodwaters just north of the city as golf ball sized hail pummeled parts of west texas, the storm knocking out transmission towers. At one point, more than a Million People left in the dark, prompting School Shutdowns as hundreds of crews worked to clear roadways and restore power. We are going to have to talk about this disaster in weeks, not days. This latest round of Severe Weather, part of a weeks long bout of unrelenting rain and flooding across southeast texas. Here we go, angie yarbroughs home has been flooded for nearly three weeks now, and as the water rises again, shes decided to leave for good. Ive cried and cried and cried about it. Its. Its heartbreaking. So 48 years ive been down here, but i cant. I cant fight it anymore. I cant, i cant do it now. Officials say that it could be up to two weeks before everyones power is restored. The city of houston today opening cooling centers as theyre expecting temperatures to surge into the 90s, starting today. Peter. Laura, remember to check on your neighbors in that area. Priscilla thompson in houston. Priscilla. Thank you. All right. Lets bring in meteorologist andrew lassman. Angie. Unfortunately, the issue this weekend in houston is heat. While millions of people further in the east are in the path of more trouble. Yeah, exactly. So no relief for folks in houston when it comes to the temperatures, but weve got to gear up for more strong storms here as we get into the later parts of today. Heres those temperatures though. Notice 90 for your actual temperature, but you add in the humidity. And were talking mid 90s today. But by the time we roll into early next week, we could be nearing triple digits. If not triple digit. Feels like temperatures for that area. So something to watch, especially as we continue to see those Power Outages lasting. Heres the deal for Severe Threat notice. Its kind of expansive across parts of the southeast for general thunderstorms, but where you see the slight risk where that brighter yellow tallahassee, gainesville up to savannah, were looking at the chance for some strong wind gusts, maybe 60mph or so, and some damaging hail. That tornado risk is low today, but its not zero, so it is still there slightly. Were already quite active this morning. Weve got some rain across the midatlantic. Those are just some showers that were watching. Weve also got some strong thunderstorms happening across the gulf coast. New orleans included in that. Plenty of lightning as well as some heavy rain. And thats one of the things that well be concerned about in that area here as we get through the day today. Notice the flood watches are already up from parts of the gulf coast, from louisiana, stretching into into georgia and florida. Weve got mobile, new orleans under those flood watches with the heavy rain working through. And that is why weve got still the chance for some of this flash flooding to occur here as we get through, especially the Morning Hours today. Thats when well likely see the heaviest rain across this region. Notice the spot that were really watching for the flash flooding stretching from mobile, pensacola, panama city, dothan all included in that here as we get through our day to day, likely seeing that impacting folks for their saturday plans. Big picture. Look, well see anywhere from an inch to two inches of rain in some of the highest spots. Guys, back to you. All right, angie, thank you for that. Well check back in with you later. Now to the very latest in the israel hamas war. The Israeli Military says it has recovered the bodies of three hostages taken by hamas during the october seventh terror attack, including a young woman who became a symbol of the horror inflicted on the people of israel that day. Nbcs Josh Letterman is in london with the very latest, and the efforts in the humanitarian work to get aid into gaza. Josh, what are we learning . Well, peter, good morning. Those three israeli hostages were all captured during the october 7th hamas attacks, fleeing that nova Music Festival in southern gaza. They are 28 year old amit buskila, 57 year old itzhak gertner and 23 year old shani luke. Now, luke had already been declared dead by israel and a photo of her mutilated body in the back of a pickup had really become one of the iconic, horrifying images of those attacks. And this is really only dampening further hopes that any more of those hostages believed to still be in gaza may come home alive. But on the humanitarian front, there is a rare bit of positive news as aid has started to arrive in gaza using a new floating pier built by the us military. Now the white house says the first pallets of food and tents were handed over to the un, and the pentagon is hoping to be able to bring in about 90 trucks a day through this new sea route and ultimately increase it to about 150. But really, this is a drop in the bucket when you think about the enormous need there. And its also not without danger for us troops who are part of that operation, the white house saying it has a robust plan to keep those americans safe. And with the un now warning of potential famine in gaza, egypt is blaming israel for crippling aid efforts. But just this morning, an Israeli MilitarySpokesman Says it is hamas that is stopping israel from sending more aid into gaza and blocking those humanitarian efforts. Peter, just such a tough situation on all sides. Josh lederman with the very latest. Josh, thank you. Back here at home to the race for the white house. Now, as both President Biden and former President Trump make a series of public appearances this weekend, nbcs Aaron Gilchrist is traveling with the president. He is in atlanta this morning. Aaron, good morning. Hey, laura, good morning to you. Youre right. Both candidates on the campaign trail this weekend. Today, as a matter of fact, President Biden here in georgia, former President Trump in texas for the nra convention. But on his day off from court on friday, mr. Trump, attending his son barrons High School Graduation down in florida that before flying to minnesota for the annual lincolnreagan dinner in a state that team trump believes can be in play, even falsely claiming he won in 2020. Despite losing there, just like every other republican president ial candidate since 1972. Mr. Trump suggesting a new rule for the upcoming debates with President Biden. I just want to debate this guy, but, you know, and im going to im going to demand a drug test, too, by the way, i am no, i really am my predecessor. In his extreme, maga friends are now going after diversity, equity and inclusion all across america. They want a country for some, not for all. Lets not kid ourselves, President Biden, theyre blasting trump during remarks celebrating the 70th anniversary of the brown v board of Education Supreme Court decision that ended school segregation. Now, between thursday and sunday, biden participating in seven events focused directly on black communities and shoring up the black vote here in atlanta. Tomorrow, hell give the commencement address at morehouse college. We saw a small group of protesters staging a die in and march here friday, calling President Biden genocide joe and demanding a cease fire in gaza. The College President says he will end the graduation if things get out of hand at the ceremony tomorrow. People ive spoken to, both here and at the white house say that students making any sort of statement they expect will be peaceful, and then the president will end his weekend in detroit at the naacp fundraising dinner. There laura Aaron Gilchrist in atlanta. Thank you, my friend. Now to a controversy at the court. Supreme Court Justice samuel alito is facing calls to recuse himself from cases related to the january 6th attack and the 2020 election. This comes after the New York Times published a photo outside alitos home of an upside down American Flag thats widely viewed as a symbol of efforts to overturn the last election. Nbcs julie sirkin is here with us in new york this morning. Julie, good morning. Peter. Good morning. Another blow for the conservative Supreme Court justices this morning as alito faces criticism and those calls to step aside this morning, Top Democrats demanding Supreme CourtJustice Samuel alito recuse himself from cases related to january sixth. After the New York Times published this photo showing an American Flag flying upside down at his home. The picture, reportedly taken just over a week from the Capitol Attack and just days before President Bidens inauguration. An upside down flag meant to signal distress and has been used as a sign of protest by both the left and the right. But some of alitos neighbors telling the times they were alarmed because it was the symbol adopted by some Trump Supporters during the capitol riot, falsely claiming President Biden stole the election. Alito, confirming the photo, telling the times, quote, i had no involvement whatsoever in the flying of the flag. It was briefly placed by mrs. Alito in response to a neighbors use of objectionable and personally insulting language on yard signs, according to the times. A neighbor said the flag was there for several days and that alitos wife, martha ann, was in a dispute with another homeowner who, quote, displayed an antitrump sign with an expletive which offended martha and alito, leading to an escalating clash between her and that neighbor. Friday democratic senator dick durbin, saying the flag creates the appearance of bias, demanding Justice Alito recused himself from upcoming cases involving january 6th, including former President Trumps president ial immunity case, where hes accused of trying to overturn the 2020 Election Results. He is, you know, more than willing to wear his partizan colors on his sleeve or in this case, on the flagpole. A Court Spokesperson did not respond to our request for comment. This isnt the first time that concerns have been raised about justices impartiality and that of their spouses, as well. Yeah, thats exactly right, peter ginni thomas, Clarence Thomass wife, of course, is a longtime conservative activist who came under scrutiny for sending those Text Messages to then President Trumps chief of staff, mark meadows. She urged him not to concede the election. She also attended the january 6th rally, but didnt march on the capitol. Like Justice Alito, Clarence Thomas faced calls to recuse himself from any cases that are related to the former president and the election, but so far, neither has given any indication they would do so. Laura, peter, julie, appreciate the update. Thank you very much. So nice to have you on set here. Julie, good to see you. All right. Now to this the worlds number one golfer Scottie Scheffler is back on the course later today hoping to win his second major championship of the year. But this has not been any normal Golf Tournament for him. On friday morning he was arrested on his way to the course and had to get ready to play while he was locked up in a jail cell. Nbcs jesse kirsch is in louisville, kentucky, outside the golf club with more jesse. This is a wild tale. Yeah, absolutely, laura. And it is far from over at this point. It seems Scottie Scheffler isnt just playing in this tournament, hes playing well. He finished his second round in the pga championship five under after having been arrested on this road, which leads to valhalla golf club, where the championship is going on. There are conflicting stories as to what actually happened out here yesterday and so far theres been no resolution either. This morning, mens golf star Scottie Scheffler is in the hunt at the pga championship, just three strokes off the lead in louisville, kentucky. That may not seem surprising for the world number one golfer, but this is no ordinary tournament weekend. I did spend some time stretching in a jail cell. That was the first for me, guys. The 27 year old was arrested early friday morning on his way to valhalla golf club. The moments apparently captured on camera by espn. Right now, hes going to jail. I was never, you know, angry. I was just in shock. And i think my body was just i was shaking the whole time. According to an incident report, a Uniformed Police detective was directing traffic