NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Episode Date: November 26, 2025

Weather snarls some flights during busy holiday travel week; Video captures moment New Mexico explosion destroys home; Manhunt for high school football coach facing criminal charges; and more on tonight’s broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight, the record-breaking travel crunch as severe weather begins its march up the East Coast, causing widespread delays on one of the busiest travel days of the year. Severe storms tearing roofs off buildings in Alabama as a tornado threat forces air traffic controllers to flee Atlanta's tower, plus an oil pipeline that feeds one major airport breaking, causing flights to divert just to refuel. And the weather's not over yet, Al Roker tracking the snow in the midwomen. and the rain and wind pounding the east. The escalating showdown in Washington, the FBI now set to question six Democratic lawmakers after their video sparked fury from the White House.

The secret peace talks with Russia, U.S. officials in the high-level meetings, and our new reporting, has Ukraine agreed to a peace deal? Terrifying doorbell cam footage showing a fireball as a home is obliterated in seconds in New Mexico. One person seriously injured, what caused the blast? An undefeated high school football coach, now a fugitive on the run, the all-out manhunt to find him, as police revealed the disturbing charges he's now accused of. Lost in the woods overnight, a grandmother and three children finally rescued deep in the woods of South Carolina, how one child was able to call 911 just as the phone battery was dying.

The rescue caught on camera, four fishermen clinging to their overturned boat for 20 hours off of Florida. One of them, 90 years old, how they made it out alive. Plus, the future of home shopping, how QVC is now the biggest thing on TikTok. And suiting up for Thanksgiving's biggest stage, we go behind the scenes as crew's raced address an army of balloon handlers before showtime. Nightly news starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. America is on the move tonight, and so is a powerful storm system, just as the holiday travel rush kicks into high gear. Dangerous weather is causing major problems on the road and in the skies.

This was the scene in Alabama today, strong winds knocking these trees into homes, and scary moments in Atlanta, the busiest airport in the world, when they had to evacuate. their air traffic control tower due to a tornado threat. That same storm system now plowing up the East Coast. You see it right there, and it couldn't come at a worse time. Today alone, there were more than 2.5 million TSA screenings, 52,000 flights taking off. Al Roker is tracking it all. In a moment, we'll show you a map of the toughest spots we're traveling right now, but we want to begin with Tom Costello. From the roadway to the airways, a big chunk of America on the move tonight, navigating big storms in the south, including heavy rain and damaging winds in Alabama.

The tower is evacuating and going down to minimal staffing. In Atlanta this morning, heavy fog and fears of a tornado forced air traffic controllers to evacuate the tower for roughly 10 minutes, inbound and outbound flights slowed to a crawl. We are back as it right now. Thankfully, no injuries or damage. Atlanta is still the busiest airport in the world, and listen to this. 80% of the U.S. population lives within a two-hour flight of Atlanta, which is why they run 2,100 flights every day out of here. Across the country today, delays rippled from one airport to another.

3,600 delays nationwide. We'll see when we get to Seattle to see what that's like, but we'll find out. In Seattle, CETAC Airport returning to normal operations after a break in a critical 20-inch oil pipeline cut jet fuel supplies. Some flights have been stopping in other cities to fuel up before continuing to their journey. Unluckily, we got a two-hour delay. While on the ground in Virginia, an overturned tanker closed I-95 for a time this morning, the driver facing reckless driving charges back at Atlanta's airport. Delta's customer service director says a little passenger planning can make travel a lot easier.

Give yourself extra time. Extra time never hurts. that reduces stress for customers and everyone. All right, Tom joins us now live from Reagan National Airport. And Tom, which airports are the hotspots right now for problems? Yeah, well, they're in the major hubs nationwide. Atlanta, because of the weather we've been talking about. Chicago O'Hare, also dealing with it, Minneapolis.

We're expecting that to be a hotspot into the evening. JFK, LaGuardia, also up in New York, and even all the way out to LAX. Now, keeping in mind that these are hubs so you can get the ripple effect, right? If they're all feeling the effects, that then translates into the effects that other airports nationwide are feeling, Tom. All right, Tom, Custello, leading us off tonight. Tom, thank you. Let's get right over to Al Roker. He's tracking all the weather for us.

And Al, there's a snow threat tonight, too? That's right, Tom. We're looking at severe weather and snowy weather. In fact, you can see there's an area of heavy thunderstorms now moving toward Atlanta. We're going to be watching that. The possibility of hail, a couple of tornadoes as well. Then to the north, here comes this lake effect snow. Right now, we've got winter weather advisories, warnings, blizzard warnings for the UP of Michigan, parts of Wisconsin, upwards of two feet of snow.

Tomorrow, we're looking at snow and wind around the Great Lakes. That'll be a problem. As you move into the Pacific Northwest, probably some airport delays there. Thanksgiving Day, more problems on the Northwest, lake effects snow causing issues. And then as we get to Sunday and everybody heading home, a lot of wet weather stretching from the Gulf into the northeast. Those will be our big hotspots. All right. We're going to have to check the forecast. Alway, thank you for that.

Now to that growing clash between President Trump and Democratic lawmakers over a controversial video with a message for troops. And tonight, the FBI wants to interview those senators. Here's Kelly O'Donnell. Tonight, an escalating clash between the president and Democrats over rules governing military orders. The FBI is seeking interviews with these six lawmakers, according to a person familiar with plans. and those Democrats pushed back. President Trump is using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass members of Congress.

You can refuse illegal orders. The video to troops by Democrats with military and intel experience did not identify any specific orders. The White House says it undercuts the commander-in-chief. They can't identify illegal orders because there are no illegal orders. Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy combat pilot, responding. So I'm not going to be silence. I'm not going to be intimidated. Separately, partisanship made its way into a typically politics-free tradition. Gobble and waddle.

The turkey pardon. The president again pressuring Democratic leadership over crime in Illinois. We've been moving toward Chicago. He brought up the horrific attack caught on video last week, where a woman now identified. as 26-year-old Bethany McGee was set on fire on a train by a repeat offender. They burned this beautiful woman riding in a train. A man was arrested 72 times, 72 times. This is an absolute failure of our criminal justice as well as our mental health institutions.

Bethany McGee's family calling her a gentle spirit with a long road ahead to recover. Tom? Kelly O'Donnell for us. Kelly, thank you. Now to President Trump's efforts to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine by a Thanksgiving deadline. Keir Simmons joins us tonight live from the Mideast and where the U.S. is holding talks with Russia. And Kier, President Trump is expressing optimism tonight. And I know you have some new reporting for our viewers. That's right, Tom.

After the days of global negotiations, including those secretive U.S.-Russia talks here in the United Arab Emirates, President Trump says tremendous progress has been made towards a peace agreement. One US official telling NBC news that the Ukrainians have agreed to the peace deal, adding that there were some minor details to be sorted out. But a Ukrainian spokesman is less definitive, saying there's a common understanding on the core terms of an agreement, while Russia is threatening not to sign off at all after the original 28-point plan was changed. Now, Tom, President Trump says he's sending officials to see both Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leaders. Tom? The pressure is on. All right, here. Thank you. We want to go to New Mexico now to show you some shocking video, capturing a massive explosion that destroyed a home. One person inside somehow surviving. Morgan Chesky now with that incredible video.

This explosion is shaking a New Mexico neighborhood. The blast shredding in Albuquerque home caught on a fiery plume Sunday, captured on neighbors' cameras. The house is totally abolished. We have reports of one person inside. Firefighters had flames under control in minutes, but faced a daunting rescue amid the wreckage. The amount of debris that was all over the street in glass and the fact that the roof was in the street was shocking to me. Lieutenant Jason Fair tells us the victim survived, but with serious injuries. The blast impact hitting neighbors too. Eugene Canton's home now deemed unsafe. Part of his house went into my garage and took out the structural part of my house.

So now they're red-tagged my house. Kentana says he called the utility company after noticing the smell of gas prior to the explosion. Do you believe there's a larger system-wide issue here? No, that's the one thing that at this point in the investigation we can definitively say is it it's not an issue with the gas utility itself. Tonight, with the cause under investigation, the blast casting a cautious shadow over a holiday week. Morgan Chesky, NBC News. we have a new development tonight in that search for a missing Virginia high school football coach in the middle of an undefeated season. Police announcing today that the coach is facing

disturbing charges. Here's Sam Brock. A multi-day search for a missing high school football coach. Now a manhunt for a fugitive after Virginia State Police announced 46-year-old Travis Turner, he's wanted on serious charges, possession of child pornography, and using a computer to solicit a minor. We are asking for the public's help and providing any information that may lead to his whereabouts. State police say agents in the early stages of an investigation were sent to Turner's home last Thursday, but they learned he wasn't there. The beloved coach was originally considered a missing person, and police began searching for

him using drones and canines. Tonight in a statement, Turner's family saying, we remain prayerful for his safe return. Any allegation should be addressed through the proper legal process, not through speculation or rumor. The Wise County School District telling NBC News, they are aware that law enforcement has filed charges against a staff member who has been on administrative leaf, adding they'll continue to cooperate with police. The situation upending this small town. It's not just a football team that's worked so hard to have the season they have and their goal of winning the state championship. We're all family and the community has been going through heartache. Last weekend, before the charges against Turner were announced, his undefeated

team took the football field. We talked in the huddle and we was like listen, boys. We're going to have to handle adversity here, but we stick together as brothers here, and we should come out with the victory. They managed to pull off a win and earn a spot in the regional championship. Sam Brock, NBC News. All right, we've learned of an extraordinary rescue in South Carolina where teams have located a grandmother and three children who were lost in the woods. Kathy Park is on the ground with the rescuers. Tonight, a South Carolina grandmother and her grandkids finally found located safely deep in the woods on a closed trail after they went missing on their hike Monday night. The grandmother and the three juveniles are healthy and safe. While we're

talking, they're being lifted out by a helicopter because of the terrain and where they are. Authorities say 53-year-old Tonda Michelin, along with her grandchildren and another child, got confused and straight off the main trail. According to the Greenville County Sheriff's Office, 11-year-old called 911 around 7 p.m. Monday and said they had been lost for three hours. He said I have about 4% battery left on my phone. They kept him on the phone for 10 to 12 minutes trying to get a location on the phone. Dozens of personnel from state and local agencies searching overnight. The sheriff says after an exhaustive search, two crews surveying different areas found the hikers by foot.

How prepared was the family to go on this hike? We really don't know. I can tell you the way they located them, there was not a lot of, maybe not a lot of preparation involved. And authorities say the trail where the group was found is not for amateur hikers. The rugged terrain and rainy weather also made the search even more challenging. Tom? All right, Kathy Park for us. Kathy, thank you. A few more families will be grateful this Thanksgiving for being rescued alive. This time off the coast of Florida, four family members celebrating a birthday.

surviving 20 hours at sea when their boat capsized. Camilla Bernal tonight with a stunning rescue video. This is the moment these four men had been waiting 20 hours for, waving down rescuers after they spent all night clinging to a capsized boat. That was the exciting time. Dennis Woods and three family members had gone out to celebrate his 70th birthday when their boat started taking on water. The water filled up one side of the catamaran and water sprued.

started coming over the backup. It was probably less than five minutes before it rolled. He says he had no time to call for help as he focused on his family, including an 18-year-old and his 90-year-old uncle, surviving an entire night at sea. The night was real tough because the waves picked up, and we was having to, like, you know, try to get up on top of the rigging of it. And with a 90-year-old, I spent. almost all night holding hillbuck. Family members on land alerted the Coast Guard who spotted them 26 miles off the Florida coast. Oh, it was a good birthday.

Now they're when I'm back on land. And rescue crews immediately wrapped the men in blankets. They were later transferred to a local hospital for further treatment. Tom. All right, Camilla, thank you. We'll be right back with QVC for Gen Z. How the Home Shopping Channel is getting a new generation to buy on TikTok. We're back now with a cable TV classic updated for the modern era.

The Home Shopping Network, QVC, which for decades had Americans watching their TV for deals and picking up their phones to make a purchase is now one of the hottest things on TikTok. Emily Aketa has this story. What you're going to do is just turn it on. QVC has built a legacy around live shopping, dominating the marketplace with famous phrases like, Let's go off to the phone. But the company is now embracing a new home for its quality, value, and convenience. I like to give you guys all the best deals, okay?

Same pitches, new platform. You need to get this. Earlier this year, QVC started hosting 24-7 live shopping streams on TikTok, quickly becoming the top-selling vendor on the platform's relatively new feature. TikTok shop is a booming online marketplace that saw more than $10 billion in sales this year in the U.S. more than double from the same period last year, according to e-commerce analytics company, charm.io. TikTok shop feels a lot like exploring the rest of your app.

Yes, there are images of items you can buy. I'm Carla Rockmore, and this is my closet. But also advertising in the form of casual selfies and dance videos by influencers. Amazon and eBay made it really easy to buy things you knew you wanted, but traditionally in e-commerce, we haven't had a way to discover things you never knew you wanted. and that's been the real success of TikTok shop.

QVC has faced major headwinds in recent years, consumers cutting the cable cords, supply chain issues, and heightened competition from online retailers. But this month, the CEO noted improvement, driven by revenue growth in our social and streaming platforms, as the consumer classic takes on a modern flair this holiday season. Emily Ikeda, NBC News. And we're back in a moment with a massive fire

at a warehouse storing firewall. works, how firefighters finally put this one out. And out on a ledge, the coyote, yeah, that's a coyote, trapped high up a Florida hotel, how he made it down. That's next. We're back now with a massive recall for some popular cheese products, just days ahead of Thanksgiving. A supplier to Boar's Head announcing it's pulling two different packages of pecorino Romano cheese because of concerns about Listeria. So far, no reports of anyone getting sick from those products. And dramatic video out of London, take a look at this, where a massive fire tore through a warehouse today. Officials say fireworks were stored there. You can see those

little explosions inside of the fire. Three schools and a residential block had to be evacuated due to the blaze. It took 150 firefighters to finally get it under control. So far, no reports of any injuries. And an unlikely hotel guest in Florida, take a good look at this. That's a coyote perched on the upper level of a parking garage attached to the luminary hotel in Fort Myers. You can see it clean to the edge of that overhang there where it stayed for a couple of hours before making its escape, jumping a barrier and safely leaving the property. All right. When we come back, we'll introduce you to the secret weapon of the Thanksgiving Day parade,

what she does that sometimes upstages the balloons. That's next. I know. It's right my alley. Finally, there's good news tonight about the most famous parade in the world and the one woman who makes sure the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade is about more than just balloons. Here's Joe Fryer. The pastel sunrise ascending over New Jersey is the perfect compliment to the color explosion bursting inside this warehouse. All right.

Thank you. Where Kimberly Montgomery oversees the nearly 5,000 costumes worn during the, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We've got so many great things to show you. We've got green giant costumes. The green giant's field of vegetables. From green veggies to green ninja turtles and their sidekicks. Every character has a different graffiti.

Montgomery's working her 26th parade. I love when someone comes around the corner on parade morning and says, I get to wear that. Today comes the parade before the parade as the costumes march on. to trucks for their journey to Manhattan. Thursday morning, 120 dressers will help all those volunteers slip into the outfits in just two and a half hours. When we design the costumes, we have to think this has to go on fast and off fast.

Where can we put it so it goes, and it's in, you're in. It's almost like magic. With that, a fashion show seemed in order. At the beginning of the parade, you have the autumnal leaves that march beside Tom Turkey. Don't forget, the acorn cap. And, of course, the parade ends with a field of Christmas trees, helping to clear the way for Santa. A dream country.

And when the parade's over, their job's not done. The laundry. A month and a half of laundry. Part of the year-round effort to make sure the parade is Taylor Fitz for the holidays. Joe Fryer, NBC News. That is a lot of laundry. All right, we thank Joe Fryer for that one. news for this tuesday i'm tom yamas thanks so much for watching tonight and oh we're here for you

good night