NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Sunday, November 24, 2024

Episode Date: November 25, 2024

Coast to coast storms could disrupt Thanksgiving travel; President-elect Trump's cabinet picks gear up for confirmation; Murder of Rabbi being called a 'terrorist attack'; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, we are tracking a major storm set to sweep across the nation on the busiest travel days of the year. The snow already falling out west ahead of a nasty coast-to-coast storm, hitting as some 80 million of us plan to drive or fly somewhere for Thanksgiving. We have the latest forecast and the new concerns about how an air traffic controller shortage may delay flights. The Trump transition starting to enter a new phase, gearing up for confirmations. The questions about the president-elect's pick to lead the

intelligence agencies and her meeting with a dictator. An Israeli rabbi murdered while traveling abroad. Israel now calling it a terrorist attack. The new arrests late today. The passenger plane up in flames. Look at that, how everyone on board managed to get out alive. The Menendez brothers back in court tomorrow. So will it get them one step closer to being released? An egg shortage nationwide. Shelves at some big grocery stores empty. What it could mean for your Thanksgiving feast. Chain restaurants slashing prices. Why the CEO of Chili's tells us they're ready to take on McDonald's. It's literally business 101. We need to have a more competitive offering

than what's out there. This is NBC Nightly News with Hallie Jackson. Good evening. We begin tonight with the latest track for that storm set to drench people coast to coast this holiday week. And the timing, it really couldn't be worse. Hitting on some of the biggest travel days of the year. You can see it here set to sweep across pretty much the whole country and hitting some big airport hubs as millions of people are taking off for Thanksgiving. That storm on the heels of the bomb cyclone that flooded parts of California's wine country this weekend, along with an early season snowstorm dumping up to a foot of snow in some spots. The airports and the highways, they are always packed leading up to Thanksgiving, but this year could break records. Meteorologist Matt

Brickman is timing out the storm, but we begin with Priya Shrether at the Atlanta airport. Tonight, heavy snow hammering Northern California. Some areas hit with nearly a foot of snow since last night. Tonight, heavy snow hammering Northern California. Some areas hit with nearly a foot of snow since last night. As the state's wine country drenched after getting months of rain in a matter of days. This was record-setting rainfall totals for three days here in Sonoma County. The system moving east tonight as major travel hubs like Boston, New York City and D.C. brace for wet weather Tuesday, potentially creating major challenges for the holiday travel rush. I didn't even know that those weather inclement weather is supposed to be happening. I should have checked. Americans will be traveling more than 50 miles from home for Thanksgiving. 5.8 million by air,

with the TSA expecting the busiest days at airports to be Tuesday, Wednesday, and next Sunday. I think you're always a little concerned about your travel times. Another speed bump for travelers this week, an air traffic controller shortage, with the FAA saying passengers traveling through New York City could see air traffic slowed for safety. We will use traffic flow management initiatives to deal with any staffing shortages on that particular day in this airspace, and we expect to have some of those shortages. Solutions for a holiday season that's just getting started. Priya is joining us now from the always busy Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Airport. And Priya, the FAA is doing something a little different to make sure things run smoothly this week.

That's right. So the military is actually releasing airspace to commercial airplanes off the Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast to reduce traffic and delays. Hallie. Priya Shrether, thank you. Let's bring in WNBC meteorologist Matt Brickman. And Matt, that coast-to-coast storm really revs up tonight. Yeah, we could begin to see rain and snow out west this evening, but Wednesday, the busy travel day, and we'll see impacts from the West Coast up through the Midwest with significant delays for Minneapolis, Chicago, and out west towards Denver, where we could see heavy snow and strong winds. Then, as that storm begins to shift to the east, we'll see impacts for Thanksgiving Day as well. Now, a couple of different scenarios we

could see. The European model takes us a little bit farther north. That would mean colder air and more snow for the Midwest and for parts of New England. The European model, not the only solution, though. The American goes, not the only solution, though. The American goes a little bit farther south, warmer temperatures, more rain down into the southeast for places like Atlanta, D.C., and into New York. Looking like a wet Thanksgiving Day parade, though. Either way, Hallie. All right, Matt, thank you very much.

With President-elect Trump filling out pretty much his whole cabinet, his transition begins to enter its next phase, getting those picks confirmed. With new questions tonight about some of the more controversial choices, Aaron Gilchrist is with the president-elect in Florida. President-elect Trump ending election month with dozens of picks for key positions in his new administration, including the heads of all 15 federal departments who will now move on to the confirmation process. The American public has voted to see change. But some could face opposition with Democrats concerned over a number of issues, including vetting. I want to make a decision on each one of them on the merits, and I can't do that without the background checks. Defense pick Pete Hegseth expected to face tough questions after NBC News obtained a California police report detailing a woman's sexual assault allegation.

The matter was fully investigated and that was completely clear. Police didn't charge Hegseth, but also never said he was cleared. Hegseth will also likely be grilled for saying women shouldn't serve in combat roles. Senator and combat veteran Tammy Duckworth. We would have an ineffective military that was not capable of deployment if we were to pull out all the women and say, you cannot be in combat. We need to get back to business. And I think Pete is just the person to do it. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for director of national intelligence, will have to defend her denial of amplifying Russian propaganda and meeting with Syria's president. Her fondness for Bashar al-Assad, someone who is gassing his own people,

calls her judgment deeply into question. She met with Bashar al-Assad. We'll want to know what the purpose was. Meanwhile, the president-elect discussing global concerns with NATO's secretary general this weekend, Trump's incoming national security advisor, Mike Waltz, with a warning after meeting with his outgoing counterpart, Jake Sullivan. For our adversaries out there that think this is a time of opportunity, that they can play one administration off the other, they're wrong. We are one team with the United States in this transition.

Aaron joins us now from West Palm Beach. And Aaron, we've seen some of Mr. Trump's picks meet with senators already, and we know that process will pick up again after the holiday. Yeah, they'll spend the next month or so whipping up support on the Hill, Hallie. Pete Hexeth did it last week. Tulsi Gabbard is expected to meet with senators after Thanksgiving. Hallie? Aaron Gilchrist, thank you.

To some breaking news overseas now. An Israeli rabbi murdered while traveling outside the country in what's now being called a terrorist attack. Hala Gharani is in Jerusalem for us tonight. And Hala, we're just learning about some arrests in that case. Indeed, Hala, the United Arab Emirates is announcing three arrests in connection with the killing of Savi Kogan, a 28-year-old rabbi based in the Emirates. The dual Israeli-Moldovan national had gone missing on Thursday.

Israel's prime minister called his killing an anti-Semitic terrorist attack. Meanwhile, Hamas has released footage of a female hostage it says was killed in Israeli bombings in northern Gaza. The military says it's studying the images and is in contact with the family. And also in Gaza, conditions continue to worsen with a storm sweeping through the region. The displaced struggling today in tents as hundreds of thousands are bracing for another miserable winter. Hallie. Hala Gharani, thank you. Some stunning video tonight of what appears to be an airplane disaster overseas. The engine of a Russian-made passenger plane bursting into flames.

Look at that. After it landed at an airport on Turkey's southern coast, nearly 100 passengers and crew were forced to run, many of them trying to get away from the fire as first responders rushed in. You see it there. Everybody on board survived. The plane had arrived from the Russian city of Sochi. Tomorrow, back here at home, will be the first time the Menendez brothers will appear in court together in 28 years. It's a highly anticipated first hearing in what could be their first step

closer to freedom. Shaquille Brewster reports. For the first time in decades, a potential glimpse of the Menendez brothers scheduled to appear in court virtually tomorrow. A possible opportunity for Eric and Lyle Menendez to address the court as they fight for their freedom after being convicted of murdering their parents. Their lawyer arguing that new evidence boosts claims their father sexually abused them for years, previewing some of the options he hopes the judge will eventually consider. Am I going to recall the sentence? Am I going to also reduce the murder to a manslaughter and let them out with time served? Just 16 seats will be available to the public with anticipation so high the court is holding a lottery to fill them. The Menendez brothers were given life sentences without parole for the 1989 murders

of their parents, Jose and Kitty, in their Beverly Hills mansion. Prosecutors argued they were after their parents' money. The brothers have previously denied this claim. That's never going to happen now because no one believes us. Fueled by a series of books, shows and documentaries, there's been a surge in public fascination around the case. You're either on one side or the other. There's like no in between. And high profile calls for the brothers release. Social media campaigns and documentaries can affect what an elected D.A. thinks about a case and might lead to freedom. In October, the now outgoing Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon recommended Eric and Lyle be resentenced and immediately

eligible for parole. His successor, set to be sworn in early December, has promised to review the case but says the brothers will be given no special treatment. A new look that could change the fate of the infamous Menendez brothers. Shaquille Brewster, NBC News. Well, they are the two movies Hollywood is betting on to jumpstart the holiday blockbuster season, Wicked and Gladiator 2. The studio's hoping to reignite some of that Barbenheimer magic. So did Glicked, yes, that's what they're calling it, did it deliver? Here's George Solis.

Wicked and Gladiator 2 making magic at the box office. The double feature dubbed Glickid dominating screens this weekend. Vampire's Fall. Glicked dominating screens this weekend. Vampires fall. So I came as a Glinda the Good gladiator to celebrate both movies. If there are no further questions, I'm gonna go. Wicked, plenty, popular, and now the highest opening Broadway adaptation in cinematic history. Something has changed within me. The film, which comes from our sister company, Universal Pictures, racking in $114 million.

Strengthen on us! The sequel, Gladiator 2, nearly 25 years in the making, conquering $55 million. I put you in the ring, you fight or you die. Still, the double hitter, not enough to recreate last year's Barbenheimer, the Barbie and Oppenheimer phenomenon, which hit $311 million in its opening weekend. I think right now there's so much learning for all the major film studios who are really struggling to get audiences off their couches. And it feels like these two films in general, and more specifically Wicked,

they're signs that folks want to come out and have experiences. They want to get decked out in their pink and green. Glickett sparing no expense in marketing and generating plenty on social media. Two tickets, please. For one movie. A dazzling duo. Hollywood hopes to defy expectations. George Solis, NBC News. Still ahead tonight, the scramble to find eggs, the empty shelves, the higher prices. We'll talk about what's behind a nationwide shortage.

In the run up to Thanksgiving, you may be noticing something missing in your grocery store. Since a nationwide egg shortage is leaving empty shelves where stacked cartons should be. Marissa Parra explains why it's happening. In parts of the country, empty egg shelves spotted its stores this weekend in Denver, Miami, New York, and in some cases, signs asking customers to limit the number of eggs they buy because of difficulty sourcing. The biggest factor, bird flu, hitting 48 states over the last two years. Bird flu is by far the biggest factor impacting egg prices right now. In the last couple months alone, we've seen about 10 million birds affected by the virus. How does that translate

to the consumers visiting their grocery stores? We still have a very strong supply of eggs in the supply chain, but we may see isolated pockets where supplies are not as readily available. Most recently, outbreaks have been seen in Utah, Washington and Oregon. The USDA citing bird flu as the reason for slowed egg production, down over two and a half percent from last year. When those producers in a given state are disrupted, this can result in some isolated shortages in certain areas. And I think that's what we're seeing across the country right now. And although you might not see empty shelves at your store, you might have noticed something else. Egg prices, while not the highest they've been in recent years, the average price of a dozen eggs this fall, over a buck 30 more expensive

than last year. Could we see egg prices rise even more? The thing about avian influenza is it's in a constant state of change. As we see these changes in the uptick in the outbreaks, we ride the waves, you know, the ebb and flow of this virus. That ebb and flow means prices may stay worse through the new year before they eventually get better. Marisa Parra, NBC News. We are back in a moment with the chain restaurant price wars. Just how low will checks go?

We're one-on-one with the CEO of Chili's. Now to the latest front in the fast food price wars. Sit-down restaurants with some chains all but daring you to skip the drive-thru and grab a booth instead. Our Dana Griffiths one-on-one with the CEO of Chili's. We're running at 62. Inside this kitchen near Dallas, Texas, they're waging an all-out food fight for your dining dollars. I have the crispy chicken sandwich, no pickles. That burger patty right there is more than twice the size of a Big Mac.

That's Kevin Hoffman, CEO of the company that owns Chili's. So these are the items that are giving like McDonald's a run for their money. Just this is just $10.99 for all of it. $10.99 for a burger, fries, soda, about the same as a McDonald's down the road, plus an appetizer. I still like my occasional Big Mac. I don't eat it as often because it's so expensive. We're meeting customers where they already are, right? They're frustrated with higher prices. So Chili's is joining the value menu wars. See you later, tiny drive-thru burger. We saw an opening and then we said, let's just get after it. That opening, the skyrocketing prices that made those cheaper dining options not so cheap. Yeah, it's been very hard to justify eating at a fast food place. Just look at this.

The price of a Whopper meal at Burger King up 73 percent over the past decade. At McDonald's, the price of a quarter pounder with cheese mill up 122 percent. If you don't stay sharp on the things that got you to winning, that's going to create a door for someone like Chili's to come in and fill that space. And that's exactly what we've done. This year, both fast food giants had rare quarterly decreases in same store sales. But at Chili's to come in and fill that space. And that's exactly what we've done. This year, both fast food giants had rare quarterly decreases in same-store sales. But at Chili's, they reported growth of more than 14 percent, even while other casual dining restaurants like TGI Friday's filed for bankruptcy. Part of Chili's success?

Menu items going viral with Gen Zers. Who boast about some of their more indulgent appetizers. You don't need therapy. You just got to come to Chili's, baby. Now other casual chains are trying to see how low their prices can go. That's what we call a really big meal deal. Applebee's recently launched a $9.99 value meal, and McDonald's fighting to stay in the value wars, announcing it's extending its $5 value meals into the new year. But there's a cautionary tale to these price wars.

Red Lobster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in part due to its unlimited shrimp deal. The new CEO says that deal is now gone. Why? Because I know how to do math. Anything else? Okay, I'll be right back. How do you sustain these sort of prices? It's literally business 101.

We need to have a more competitive offering than what's out there. And that may be why more people... Hi, welcome to Chili's. Come on in. ...are joining the fast food exodus. Dana Griffin, NBC News. When we come back, there's good news tonight about four longtime friends turned social media sensations. Hopefully another successful board meeting. news tonight about four longtime friends turned social media sensations. There's good news tonight about meeting up and blowing up online and how the weekly get

together of four longtime friends in Wisconsin is winning people over around the world. You can make it, Larry. Yo, hey, good night! If it's Friday night in Brookfield, Wisconsin, Shall we bring the meeting to order? you'll find these four guys at Bullwinkle's Bar for what they call their weekly board meeting. Thank you.

Cheers. Yes, it's beers and banter, but for these longtime friends, it's also, these days days about their newfound fate. Packers versus Bears quarterbacks. If you could have chosen any profession, what would it be? See, Riley Enright, Laird Myrold, Mike Kenna and Jim Hole have become kind of famous because of their printed lists of talking points that Riley types up each week to keep the conversation organized. All right, Laird, new tires? Get the new tires on the Highlander.

What has been your favorite agenda item? Soup. Just soup. I'm going to go back. My favorite agenda items are fishing. What's your trivia question? It's probably not as interesting as mine. Started before the pandemic, the lists became online sensations when Riley's daughter,

Kenzie, posted about them on social media. So, Kenzie, what got your attention about these board meetings that your dad did? Yeah, I so he like invited me and then we got there and he pulls out a stack of like printed with a paperclip agendas. And I was like, this is so funny. Also, like, so wholesome. People loved it. People still love it. And who wouldn't with topics ranging from cigar prices and favorite cut of steak, the ordinary, to the extraordinary, like Billy's new baby.

And then there's drinks giving, of course, and nap time for age 60 plus workers. The list's getting hundreds of thousands of likes. People writing, this is the most dad thing ever. The cutest. And they need to start a podcast. Kenzie, why do you think it's resonated? It's just like a very authentic connection.

That connection, that bond, something these guys don't take for granted. What has it meant for you, Riley, that there's a whole community of strangers out there who, like, love to see you and love to see this? I feel actually good. You know, I'm not the most sensitive guy in the world, I will admit that. But this actually warms my heart. It is always a good time, but this week especially, to get together with those who mean most. That is nightly news for this Sunday. But stick around for Sunday night football, the Philadelphia Eagles up against the L.A. Rams. Go Birds. Lester, we'll be back here tomorrow

night. I'm Hallie Jackson. For all of us here at NBC, thanks for watching. Have a great week and a very happy Thanksgiving. Hopefully another successful board meeting.