NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Sunday, January 05, 2025

Episode Date: January 6, 2025

Major winter storm blasts much of U.S. with intense cold, blizzard conditions; Thousands of flights disrupted by massive winter storm; FBI releases new video of New Orleans truck attack suspect; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the blizzard blasting multiple states right now. The mess on major roads, with more than 1,000 flights canceled across the country already. Whiteout conditions in the Midwest. Cars sliding off highways. Look at that. These two tractor-trailers colliding, and you see this huge pileup. The dangerous storm now barreling east, bringing thundersnow with it. You hear it right there. 21 states set to be hit. We are tracking this storm's path. Plus, thousands of flights canceled or delayed

on the final day of the busy holiday travel season. The FBI releasing new video of the New Orleans attacker as he planted two explosive devices and the high tech glasses he used to record this, his bike ride through the French Quarter months before. Jabbar made at least two trips to New Orleans. Security ramping up at the Capitol ahead of tomorrow's election certification. Exactly four years after the January 6th attack. The first U.S. city charging congestion pricing, starting today, $9 to get into downtown, which other cities may do the same to try to make gridlock a little more manageable.

And the new science of retail returns, how these robots are getting your stuff back to stores faster than ever. This is NBC Nightly News with Hallie Jackson. Good evening. We are coming on the air on our first Sunday of 2025 with our first major snow storm of the year. It's a powerful system set to affect nearly 60 million of us, and it's already dumping snow as a blizzard in the Midwest. It started with ice. Look at this, a dangerous pileup there in Kansas City. But now it's the deep snow that's crippling traffic. They're already seeing nine inches there.

The storm is spinning off tornado warnings tonight in the south and getting set to move east, potentially paralyzing parts of the Mid-Atlantic, including the nation's capital. School already canceled in major cities like Philadelphia and in Washington, D.C. It is a mess on the roads and at airports, too, with more than 1,500 flights canceled, more than 6,000 delayed. We've got team coverage tonight, including your forecast in just a moment. But we'll begin with Maggie Vespa in Kansas City. From blinding blizzards across America's heartland. You can't even see down

the dang street. To flashes of thunder, snow and thunder sleet in Kansas and Missouri. Even a confirmed tornado in Arkansas. A colossal winter system has turned America's midsection into a chaotic, frozen tundra. We've got rollovers that happened in times past. We're still going to wrecks and a lot of these first responders are getting stuck. 65 million Americans from the Great Plains to the East Coast are under winter storm alerts tonight. In Kentucky, this car frozen shut and this squad car destroyed. The state trooper inside it injured after a driver crashed into him. In Kansas City, interstates lined with cars in ditches, some struggling uphill and sliding through traffic.

And watch as this semi slams into another. This after a drone overnight captured this massive pileup. Highways already coated in ice, now buried in snow. A lot of people around here have low cars and don't have the right tires. Plow drivers working around the clock. Hey everyone, city manager Brian Platt here. Kansas City's city Manager even pitching in as snow continues falling, followed by frigid temperatures for days to come. You woke up this morning and saw this and thought, what? This is going to be one of the most historic, significant

storms that Kansas City has ever seen. We haven't seen more than 10 inches in 32 years, but it'll be a constant battle. We'll be out here for days. Maggie Vespa joins us now from Kansas City, where it is really coming down. Maggie, it's not just the snow, it's the power outages that can be dangerous for folks. Yeah, Hallie, that's right. And at this hour, we have more than 100,000 people from Texas to Kentucky without power, more than half of them here in Missouri alone, where it's still coming down really fast. I mean, look at this buried car behind me. Look at these roads. These were plowed just a few hours ago, and now they're completely covered again. Hallie. Maggie Vespa, thank you. We are already seeing thousands of flight cancellations or delays on what is the final

travel day of the holiday season. Aaron Gilchrist reports from Reagan National Airport. Tonight, the major weather system slamming the Midwest is wreaking havoc on airports across the country. These massive snow removal trucks trying to clear the runway in Lexington, Kentucky to keep the airport open. Some travelers not so lucky. We're just sitting at the tarmac for like an hour, hour and a half, and they're like, airport's closed. At Kansas City's airport, Jocelyn Joseph is trying to get back to college in Denver. I was halfway through security when my flight got canceled, and they told me I needed to go back down to baggage claim to get my bag. FlightAware's misery map showing travel snarled in the country's midsection.

Nationwide, there are more than 6,000 flight delays and more than 1,000 cancellations. Christy Coach and her kids just trying to get home to North Carolina. We got to just look at it as an adventure and you know, enjoy the time together, I guess. Back now with Erin at Reagan National just outside Washington. And Erin, that woman's optimism aside, it is only expected to get worse for travelers from here over the next day. Yeah, Hallie, tonight here at DCA, we're just seeing a few canceled flights on the board here, but FlightAware is already showing nearly 900 flights are canceled nationwide for tomorrow. Hallie? Erin Gilchrist, thank you. Let's get right to NBC News meteorologist Angie

Lassman. Okay, Angie, talk about the snow, the ice, the expectations as this storm now marches east. Hallie, all those impacts are going to continue to spread towards the coast and leave folks with the potential to get multiple inches of snow. Ice accumulations and even severe storms stretch down to the south with the potential for tornadoes as we get through tonight. By tomorrow, the snow moves into the mid-Atlantic. Those periods of heavy snow stay with us through the day. Ice accumulations topping three quarters of an inch in some spots like Lexington and Charleston. But the snowfall totals, especially for Washington, D.C., six to ten inches. Impressive, to say the least, with some isolated spots receiving over a foot. We'll also see multiple

inches for Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York City, just less than half of an inch. Hallie. Angie Lastman, lots to watch. Thank you. We are learning more tonight about how exactly the suspect in that deadly New Orleans truck ramming prepared for his horrific attack, apparently by wearing special glasses to record the area around Bourbon Street, according to the FBI, which is releasing a first look at that new video tonight. Kathy Park is in New Orleans. For the first time, the FBI sharing this chilling glimpse of what they say was part of the planning of Shamsuddin Jabbar's New Year's Day terror attack in New Orleans, recorded on his meta glasses as he biked around the French Quarter in October, later catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Metaglasses appear to look like regular glasses,

but they allow a user to record videos and photos hand-free. On the night of the attack, surveillance cameras captured Jabbar placing two coolers containing what the FBI says were improvised explosive devices on and near Bourbon Street, but neither device ever detonated. One was moved out of the way by someone investigators say had no idea what was inside and had no connection to the attack. The FBI, which blurred this video, says the October visit is one of at least two trips Jabbar made to New Orleans prior to the deadly New Year's Day attack that killed 14 people. Where were the glasses recovered and did Jabbar wear them during the entire timeline of the attack?

The glasses were recovered on the person of Jabbar and we believe he was wearing them throughout the evening. And he was recording the entire time? So we don't have any indication that he was actually recording, but he was wearing those glasses. The ATF now says they will retest explosive materials they first believed to be extremely rare, but now think could be a more common explosive. As a probe examines Jabbar's past domestic and international travel, including Ontario, Canada and Cairo, Egypt. Whether or not any visits to those countries may or may not have any indication

as to the reasons behind this attack in our city. Today, a moment of silence before the New Orleans Saints took the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And last night, hundreds of mourners gathered on Bourbon Street to pay their respects, where we spoke with the brother of Latasha Polk, the last victim to be identified. She took care of the people's kids. She only had one son, Christopher. We all love her. I wish she was back. Kathy Park is joining us now from New Orleans, where, Kathy, they are looking ahead to security for some huge events in just a few weeks,

including the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras. Allie, that's right. The mayor says that safety and security here in New Orleans is a top priority, requesting a tactical expert through the White House. And starting tomorrow, an infrastructure plan will be activated ahead of the Super Bowl. Next spot, Allie. Kathy Clark, thank you. Security is ramping up on Capitol Hill now ahead of tomorrow, January 6th,

the day Congress will certify the election results. Law enforcement hoping to make sure there's no repeat of what happened four years ago at this same spot. Here's Vaughn Hilliard. Today, fencing and barriers around the U.S. Capitol. Four years after a mob of pro-Trump forces attacked it. Stopping the counting of Electoral College votes and delaying the certification of Joe Biden's victory. The eyes of the world will be on the United States Capitol to see what happens here on January 6th. This time, a clear perimeter established around the

Capitol complex, police shutting down multiple streets for tomorrow's midday proceedings, where Vice President Kamala Harris will oversee the counting of President-elect Trump's 312 electoral college votes and her own defeat. Unlike in 2021, when prominent Republicans objected to the results, tomorrow, there will be no election denying on the part of the Democratic caucus. This weekend, Trump on stage at Mar-a-Lago still admonishing his former vice president, Mike Pence, for not rejecting Electoral College votes four years ago. Trump speaking at an event Saturday night that included some of his most prominent backers in those efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Those allies who also spoke included Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman, Rudy Giuliani,

Peter Navarro and Michael Flynn. Trump giving each man a shout out from the stage. Von Hilliard is joining us now. And Vaughn, we talked about the weather heading to Washington. So what if that snowstorm keeps some members of Congress from making it to the chamber tomorrow to vote? Right, Hallie, there is a very minimal chance of impact on this process unless half of Congress is not able to make it in. And even then, there is no apparent widespread plan among Democrats to object to these results. Hallie. Vaughn Hilliard, thank you. In Atlanta tonight, thousands of people are lining up to pay their final respects to former President Jimmy Carter before his national

funeral service later this week. Priya Shrether is outside the Carter Center for us. Priya, good evening. Good evening, Hallie. Mourners have been lining up here at the Carter Center for us. Priya, good evening. Good evening, Hallie. Mourners have been lining up here at the Carter Center all day. A steady line of people have been filing through to pay their last respects as a military honor guard stands watch. His final journey here began on Saturday morning in a procession ending here where his family held a private ceremony. Mourners I spoke with today say he was a role model. If any of us can be a fraction of that kind of contribution to mankind, we will be very blessed. I think that when he gets to heaven,

God is going to say, well done, thy good and faithful servant. Now on Tuesday morning, his casket will be flown to Washington, D.C., where he'll lie in state at the U.S. Capitol before his national funeral service on Thursday. Hallie. Priya Shrether, thank you. Still ahead for us tonight, the controversial new pricing plan for cars in New York. And the big question, will more cities add tolls to cut traffic? We are back with a controversial traffic plan that's just going into effect today in New York.

Now the first city in the country to have congestion pricing. It's a $9 toll to get into the heart of Manhattan, and it's supposed to make gridlock a little less of a nightmare. The big question, and the one other cities are now asking, will it actually work? Emily Akeda reports. The city known for its standstill traffic, green lighting new tolls that if successful could catch on across the country. Congestion pricing going into effect today to access Manhattan's busiest neighborhoods. Most drivers now paying $9 during peak hours and $13.50 without easy pass. Time wasted in traffic is a huge drag on our economy. Officials say it will encourage more people to take public transit, cutting back on tens of thousands of cars daily and pollution.

But reviews among residents across the tri-state are mixed. For the tunnel plus the toll, so that will be too much. I think it's just a tax. It's not going to alleviate any congestion. The toll will gradually increase, hitting $15 for most drivers by 2031, funding for public transit improvements in the city. Could we see this policy catch fire? Could it spread? Yes. Places like Chicago and Los Angeles, which also have pretty severe traffic congestion,

are watching to see what happens here in New York and may consider similar policies there. While around the world, some cities have already embraced congestion pricing. Stockholm, Singapore, London. Though London is still considered the third most congested city in the world. I'm proud to announce we have found a path. New York's plan was reinstated after months of delays and a barrage of lawsuits. But the toll's biggest threat may be still to come. President-elect Trump has said he will terminate congestion pricing as New York puts the policy into drive. Emily Ikeda, NBC News, New York. We are back in a moment with a closer look at how robots are making it easier and faster for you to get your holiday returns taken care of.

No box necessary. Everybody has those end of holiday traditions happening right around this time of year, maybe taking down the tree or boxing up the decorations, maybe returning all those gifts that didn't work out quite right. Turns out retail returns are a huge challenge for stores. But now some companies are going high tech to get their things to them and your refunds to you faster. Steve Patterson reports. It might look like something out of a sci-fi film set in the future. But these real life wallies are sending your unwanted items back to the past, back to the retailer they came from. It is kind of Blade Runner-y in here. Inside this massive facility for happy returns, a company owned by UPS, Chief Operating Officer Tim Fair says they're using new technology to tackle an old but growing

problem. Some $890 billion a year in merchandise is returned, but on top of that expense is the costly process of getting all that stuff back. Easy returns are challenging and expensive. Some companies like Optoro are using AI to analyze giant piles of return clothes like this to determine if and how they can be put back on shelves. And here at Happy Returns, it's all about robots. How much more efficient is this than a human doing it? Yeah, so we doubled our productivity when we implemented this. So that's a radical advancement.

Here's how it works. What do I do? Okay, so you're going to start your return online. You take your unwanted gift and drop it off, unboxed, at a Happy Returns site, which could be inside an Ulta store, for example, and it gets shipped here. That's when the robots get to work. And this is what workers are calling the dance floor. More than 100 automated robots pushing packages from retail to the warehouse in an attempt to revolutionize the way we think about returns. Let's say you're returning an Everlane return. Okay. We would combine those items with your return

with 10 or 15 other returns that came in that day from a bunch of different brands. That would go to a single container. The robot will take it to that retailer shipping box, so an Everlane box. When that box is full, we'll put it on a pallet, and then once a week we'll ship all those items to Everlane. The robots, Faer says says cut processing times down significantly,

meaning that items can get to retailers and back on the shelf more quickly and cheaply. But do those savings come at a cost? What about the guys and the girls who work here? And like, you know, am I looking at people that are going to have their jobs replaced as well? Most of our employees are very excited. Essentially, we've made the job easier for them and allowed them to move away from more rote or challenging tasks into areas where they could add more value.

What does this look like five, ten years from now? We're looking at robots to unload the trucks. We're committed to this vision and kind of putting together our next round of plans right now. A new technological revolution in the world of returns. Steve Patterson, NBC News, Valencia, California. When we come back, there's good news tonight about seeing the world with the ones you love and the defining adventure of a 94 years long lifetime.

There's good news tonight about how it's never too late for a big adventure, especially when you can do it with the ones you love. If you look closely at the wilds of a safari, 15-foot croc right there. Or at the foot of an awe-inspiring mountain, I think the water is nice and cool. You'll find something remarkable. Joy. This is great. Grandma Joy, that is. Well, hi there. Joy Ryan is on a quest

to visit all seven continents, and she's doing it at 94 years old. I never expected to be traveling to the world anywhere. I figured I just had my, be on the front porch crocheting and talking to the neighbors. But she is traveling the world and doing it with the best travel buddy possible, her grandson. My grandma's relationship with me means everything. You made this huge journey with me and I love you. I love you too. Grandma Joy spent the first 90 years of her life without a U.S. passport. But 10 years ago, her grandson, Brad, had an idea.

She just kind of casually said, I never saw a mountain. I wanted to have that sense of closure that I took her to see her first mountain. He just called me up and said, Grandma, would you like to go on a camping trip? And I wasn't doing anything. So I said, OK, I'll go. And go they did. Joy saw her first mountain and so much more. See you on the other side. Oh, who's going next? As that first visit turned into their first quest, seeing all 63 U.S. national parks together.

Good gravy. What a trip. That first trip complete. Now, another once-in-a-lifetime adventure. From the bottom of the world in Antarctica. It was just like a winter wonderland. We got to see the whales and the penguins. Oh, they're amazing. To immersing themselves in the cultures of Africa. The pair crisscrossing the globe.

That's so pretty. Reaching four of the seven continents so far. All the gorgeous mountains and everywhere. A trip that's about so much more than the destinations. It's been the greatest privilege of my life to show her the world. He's such an amazing person.

I wouldn't trade him for anything. And the next stop for Joy and Brad will be Iceland. That's NBC Nightly News for this Sunday. I'm Hallie Jackson. For all of us here at NBC, thanks for watching and have will be Iceland. That's NBC Nightly News for this Sunday. I'm Hallie Jackson. For all of us here at NBC, thanks for watching and have a great week.