he's set to make the u.s. buying 500 million pfizer doses to donate globally and his high-stakes mission to shore up support among america's allies ahead of his first face-to-face meeting with vladimir putin. while back home the battle he leaves behind after infrastructure talks with republicans collapsed. the vaccine pileup in the u.s why hundreds of thousands of johnson & johnson doses are in danger of going to waste. those long lines at the airport as travel bounces back. the tsa so short-handed it's asking for volunteers. our team going inside the mission at the border to stop human smugglers. and the increasingly extreme measures migrants are taking to enter the u.s. the images captivating millions around the world the herd of endangered elephants on a 300-mile journey the mystery over their destination. and inspiring america. the singer after a heartbreaking diagnosis who brought the judges to tears.

>> announcer: this is nbc "nightly news" with lester holt good evening, everyone just shy of five months in office in which he's faced a host of urgent domestic priorities, from covid to the economy, president joe biden is turning his attention overseas tonight, arriving in london this evening at the start of a jam-packed eight-day mission to reset u.s. relations with europe. but he also looks to project a message of strength and stability to american adversaries near and far, including russia. anticipation already building for his high-stakes face-to-face meeting with vladimir putin. so much on the table, from nuclear arms to cyber attacks traced to russian soil. it's president biden's first foreign trip in office, and our peter alexander is traveling with him >> reporter: tonight the commander in chief arriving overseas, greeting u.s. troops and already eyeing next week's critical face-to-face meeting with vladimir putin. >> i'm heading to the g7, then to meet with mr. putin to let him know what i want him

to know. >> reporter: but before confronting that adversary president biden will embrace traditional allies, today describing his mission. >> strengthening the alliance, making it clear to putin and to china that europe and the united states are tight. >> reporter: president biden under pressure to do more to address a global vaccine shortage will announce that the u.s. has agreed to purchase 500 million doses of pfizer's covid vaccine to send around the world. the president hoping to rebuild ties after four years of former president trump's america first agenda his presidential trip packed four summits in eight days his first stop here in the uk, meeting with british prime minister boris johnson, and gathering with g7 leaders representing some of the world's biggest economies. before being hosted at windsor castle by the queen. then in belgium meeting with the eu and nato, an alliance mr. trump threatened to quit. all of it before that one-on-one with putin in geneva that comes amid a rise in ransomware attacks, including those targeting america's

food and gas supply, that u.s. authorities believe came from russia >> we're not seeking conflict with russia we want a stable, predictable relationship >> reporter: republicans tonight slamming president biden's foreign policy as weak. >> i think we're in retreat on all fronts. the russians are just pushing everybody around in the region >> reporter: and with president biden expected to bring up the arrest of putin critic alexei navalny new reports that navalny's political organization has just been banned by a russian court. likely with putin's blessing >> peter, what's interesting, the white house is framing this as a trip president biden has been preparing for for 50 years. >> reporter: yeah, lester, that's right the president's message to allies here is simple, that america is back. after serving as chairman of the senate foreign relations committee and as vice president, president biden is now hoping to deliver on his own vision for the world lester >> peter alexander, thank you. thought that a key for the president will be

his tone >> reporter: that's right, lester. president biden says that he wants a stable and predictable relationship with vladimir putin but so far the only thing that's been predictable about putin is that he will challenge president biden on many fronts on russian government hacking he's not backing down and he's not taking any responsibility for the criminal hackers who are operating on russian soil so while president biden says that he hopes to be able to work with putin on climate, on arms control, on iran, still most importantly he wants to be able to show that he will stand up to russian aggression, setting a very different tone than former president trump. lester >> andrea mitchell, thank you. back here in the u.s., millions of johnson & johnson vaccine doses could be close to expiring as demand drops off just under 172 million americans have received at least one dose of the three vaccines, but that's up just slightly here's miguel almaguer >> reporter: with our nation already facing

a dwindling demand for vaccinations, tonight potentially millions of johnson & johnson doses are sitting on shelves set to soon expire in two weeks, 200,000 shots in ohio may need to be tossed out west virginia has some 25,000 doses nearing expiration >> we all know this is a precious resource, and it's a precious resource across the world. so it would be a pity to see some of it have to go to waste >> reporter: the j&j dose is coveted around the world because of its easy storage at, say, a doctor's office and its one and done dose but after a safety concern and a pause in its use its popularity plummeted. of the more than 21 million j&j doses distributed nationwide, nearly half have not yet been administered states are asking the white house for a way to quickly coordinate their redistribution as authorities also still, the nation's biggest hurdle remains

vaccine hesitancy. >> i haven't taken the vaccine, and the reason is i don't trust it >> reporter: in parts of alabama less than 15% of residents are fully vaccinated, even as authorities warn the delta variant, the most contagious of the pandemic, may next threaten the u.s >> i made it this far without getting covid and i don't need to get vaccinated but eventually we're all going to have to get vaccinated but i'm cool right now >> reporter: it took the loss of antonio lyles' mother to covid for him to get vaccinated >> i got vaccinated two days after my mom passed she passed the 21st. i got an appointment the 22nd waste critical doses miguel almaguer, nbc news >> a reminder you can make a plan for when and where to get vaccinated visit planyourvaccine.com for more in just 60 seconds, a severe staffing shortage at the tsa just as the number of people flying soars once again.

if you've been flying, then you may have seen it for yourself the tsa struggling to put enough screeners at some of our busiest airports as travel ramps up erin mclaughlin tonight on what flyers can expect >> reporter: tonight at airports across the country a summer scramble for staffing. with a record number of travelers returning to airports after historic pandemic lows tonight the tsa warning in a memo obtained by the "washington post" that more than 130 of the nation's largest airports are struggling to staff airport screeners. the ripple effect from the tsa shortage already being felt by travelers at major airports >> it's crazy. >> reporter: security lines so long in austin and charlotte, hundreds of travelers have missed their flights. while airports in detroit, denver and outside washington, d.c. reportedly among the hardest hit. with the summer spike in air tra asking tsa office

workers to volunteer to manage long lines and other non-security-related tasks. according to the memo. union reps say this problem can't be solved overnight >> you can't train tsa in a matter of weeks tsa is a very dangerous job that a lot of people don't know, but we get very minimum wage pay >> reporter: tsa releasing a statement insisting the agency is well positioned to meet rising traveler volumes, pointing to a concerted recruitment effort the agency began in the winter with $1,000 incentives for positions nationwide if you're traveling this summer, experts say arrive at the airport two to three hours before your flight and don't forget to wear your mask it's still a federal requirement. both at the airport and in the air lester >> all right, erin, thanks president biden has ended those negotiations on infrastructure with a republican senator and now a bipartisan group of lawmakers is moving forward with their own plan for a deal. garrett haake has more

for us from the capitol. >> reporter: tonight, infrastructure negotiations entering a new phase. with president biden ending talks with a group of republicans led by senator shelley moore capito on tuesday and reaching out to members of a bipartisan group of moderate senators. the group huddling for three hours in a cramped capitol basement office last night. >> we've come together with a proposal that may be able to bridge the gap between the two sides. >> reporter: the senators haven't released any details of their proposal except that it won't raise taxes at all, a red line for attracting gop votes that a difficult task with republicans opposed to much of the president's initial plan this as frustration builds among some democrats to drop bipartisan talks and move to pass as much as they can with just 50 democratic votes, itself a work in progress >> if this doesn't work, would you be willing to go it alone with a democrat-only option >> i never give up never give up. >> reporter: that bipartisan group knows time isn't on their one senator telling me today they only have about a week to get a deal lester >> garrett, thank you. now to the record

migrant surge in our series "american crossroads." nbc's tom llamas getting a firsthand look at the extreme measures some migrants are now using to try to avoid the border patrol and get into the u.s. >> reporter: more and more the coast of southern california turning into a floating crime scene a new surge at this border creating a life and death struggle just steps from the beach. >> it's chaotic. very chaotic >> reporter: in the last month alone four migrants have died, including three who drowned when their boat lost power, hit a reef, and smashed into pieces dozens of migrants forced to jump for their lives. here customs and border protection now seeing a nearly 100% increase in migrant apprehensions since 2019 >> off the coast of san diego they've ramped up border enforcement. they've had to because the numbers are spiking now. and smugglers are charging more money, tens of thousands of dollars per person, and they're becoming even more reckless we rode with customs and border

protection's air and marine operations as they hunted for smugglers along the busy maritime border between mexico and california a smuggler looks at a kilo of cocaine, a pound of fentanyl, and a baby, a human baby all the same way >> they can, yeah. it's all money it's all a commodity and that's the unfortunate reality that we're facing every day. >> reporter: in the air and in the ocean these specialized teams are patrolling around the clock, stopping all types of vessels as smugglers try to blend in or pose as recreational boaters and fishermen, sometimes refusing to stop >> we're just seeing the smugglers be more abrasive, just running into us, ramming, kicking people off their boats, at the mercy of the surf. >> reporter: the risks migrants are taking on the ocean are part of a growing trend happening all across the southern border. from sending their children alone with smugglers, who've been seen tossing them over 14-foot barriers, to migrants hiding on moving trains,

squeezing into locked rail cars and wheel wells. customs and border agents tell nbc news they believe a reinforced and heightened border wall has forced smugglers to take extreme measures in a remote village in mexico luz maria perez cries at the altar she built for her daughter maria eugenia. she was on board that doomed ship that sunk off san diego, drowning trying to make it to shore maria eugenia, a 41-year-old single mom, was hoping to find work in the u.s she was caught crossing illegally twice before and told family she was going to give it one last try. now her mother telling us she wants the smuggler to be punished for killing her daughter with a false promise that sent her not to america but to this grave. tom llamas, nbc news all right. let's turn now to our series "kids under pressure" and the tough times some families are having as their kids start to

re-enter life as we knew it. kristen dahlgren tonight on what parents need to know >> reporter: on this massachusetts field lacrosse is back but for some the so-called return to normal is anything but. >> it just feels weird seeing everybody's full face and it always feels like i'm missing something. >> reporter: for a lot of kids like 12-year-old charlotte sutcliffe post-pandemic life can be confusing and still scary. >> i think most of my friends have been pretty respectful. i think they're on the same page. i follow the guidelines and i don't take my mask off unless i feel completely comfortable. >> reporter: her mom says they took things slow >> we started to go out more, spend more time with friends outside. we went to a museum. just to kind of practice being around other people >> reporter: and she's not just speaking as a parent aude henin is a psychologist and runs the child cbt program at mass general. >> some kids have been very reluctant to leave home

you have a lot of concerns about separating from parents or interacting with peers some kids are worried about getting sick >> reporter: henin says there are a few things caregivers can do talk about it. don't dismiss what kids are feeling come up with a plan kids can use to help themselves be brave. make the transition gradual. and make sure kids understand everyone does things at their own pace charlotte will be fully vaccinated soon and is getting more comfortable every day. she says things like a plane trip may still give her pause but she knows at her own speed she'll reach her goals. kristen dahlgren, nbc news there's more to tell you about tonight. up next, americans on a spending spree the surprising things a lot of us are buying as the summer heats up that's coming up next in "the price you pay.

wanna help kids get their homework done? well, an internet connection's a good start. but kids a thing aboutk is finding a place to do it. so why not hook community centers up with wifi? for kids like us, and all the amazing things we're gonna learn.

over the next 10 years, comcast is committing $1 billion to reach 50 million low-income americans with the tools and resources they need to be ready for anything. i hope you're ready. 'cause we are. with summer unofficially here and covid restrictions easing, many americans are spending more on style. stephanie ruhle now with the "price you pay. >> reporter: this summer americans are trading sweats and hand sanitizer for crop tops and false eyelashes. >> it's been awesome to see people wanting pants again. >> reporter: personal care products are flying off store shelves. sales of teeth whiteners and eye makeup are up over 50% this quarter lipstick and breath freshener seeing double-digit growth too. personal appliances like electric razors up almost 30% since 2019 >> people are buying the fun bathing suits and the fun short-sleeve shirts with -- they're traveling again. >> reporter: mall foot traffic is up to pre-pandemic levels and retail sales for

the month of april are up 22% from that same month in 2019. rent the runway founder jennifer hyman is seeing a boom in demand for bold looks at her women's clothing rental company. her active users have doubled from this time a year ago >> so it's all about mini lengths it's about bright colors it's about prints. happy, super fashion with a capital f >> reporter: is this what you expected in terms of trends coming out of the pandemic? >> i didn't expect this to happen with as much kind of ferociousness as we're seeing i mean, the recovery is here much earlier and steeper than i expected i have never seen anything like this americans have been ks staying home and saving up. the personal savings rate in april was double april 2019 levels in march it quadrupled now that cash is

burning a hole in people's pockets lester >> as people get to step out all right, stephanie, thank you. across the world millions have been following endangered elephants on an incredible journey our janis mackey frayer on the phenomenon >> reporter: tonight a herd of wandering wild elephants on an epic trek in china, 300 miles so far and for the first time a rest the images captured by one of a dozen drones now tracking them. where they're going is still a mystery. >> they need to move home due to habitat loss or fragmentations and they need that huge area to roam around >> reporter: their road trip started from a nature reserve in the south. through towns and fields, causing a million dollars' damage along the way a task force now trying to steer them back using road blocks and tons of food bait. the elephants loving corn but not pineapples all of it being monitored in real time and captivating chinese social media one possibility is that the leader of the

pack got lost and now they're all just following the food a 24-hour command center has been set up to monitor the elephants, with reports now another herd may be on the move lester >> incredible pictures janis, thank you also tonight we want to share with you the story of the harvard-bound high school senior who surprised everyone at her graduation ceremony with a big-hearted act of generosity here's morgan radford with that. >> reporter: when verda tetteh walked across the stage to get her diploma, she did something no one expected >> i am not the most in need of it. >> reporter: she asked to donate her $40,000 in scholarship money >> i would be so very grateful if administration would be -- would consider giving the general excellence scholarship to someo ws going to community college. >> was this a spur of the moment decision? >> i was very proud and happy at first but then i sat down and it started hitting me like i said that someone else needs it

more i made my mind up that i would do the right thing. >> reporter: verda, who's headed to harvard, immigrated to the u.s. from ghana at age 8. her mother worked 80 hours a week while attending community college. when you were young, were you watching your mom work and go to school at the same time >> yeah. >> i told her you can do it, of course, work hard, pay it off >> reporter: a lesson she's paying forward >> no matter what happens i'm proud of what i did and i stand by that. >> i know that this lady is going to make a change in the world one day. >> reporter: and she already has. morgan radford, nbc news, new york >> what a terrific story. up next for us, talent and perseverance inspiring america.s okay, it's okay ♪

finally tonight, the remarkable thing that happened on the stage of "america's got talent," something powerful and authentic that no one will forget if you had told jane marczewski a year ago that she would step onto the stage of "america's got talent," chances are she wouldn't have believed you ♪ i was a stick of dynamite ♪ ♪ and it just was a matter of time yeah ♪ >> a little more than a year ago i was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given three to six months to live based on the chance of survival >> reporteo performs under the

name nightbirde, sang an original song that chronicled her tumultuous journey this past year ♪ it's okay, it's okay ♪ that song brought the normally stoic simon cowell to tears. ♪ and it's all right ♪ >> there was something about that song, the way you just almost casually told us what you're going through and -- you know. >> reporter: it prompted him to hit the golden buzzer. sending nightbirde straight to the live shows. >> i've been preparing for a moment like this for my whole life. i have lots of songs and lots of stuff to share, and i hope that life keeps opening up a path for me to do that >> so many reasons to cheer for that young lady that's "nightly news" for this wednesday thank you for watching i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night

. next on nbc bay area news tonight mask rules are changing on tuesday. we now know exactly what those rules will be. also we'll ask our experts about the new delta variant sweeping across india and europe. how concerned should we be in the united states? and when june 15th arrives a lot of restrictions will go away. we're talking about the things you're most excited to start doing again. and the sad reality of san francisco. tourism is back and so are the thieves. this happened right in front of our nbc crew. we're updating the car break in problem in the city. and get ready to pay