Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, August 26, 2024

Episode Date: August 27, 2024

Tonight's Top Story has the latest breaking news, political headlines, news from overseas and the best NBC News reporting from across the country and around the world.

Tonight, landslide disaster, a mountainside collapse triggering an emergency situation in Alaska. Massive piles of dirt and debris wiping out homes and toppling power lines. The landslide swallowing cars leaving at least one person dead. The concerns at this hour over the potential for a secondary slide. Terrifying flash floods in the Grand Canyon, forcing more than 100 people to be airlifted and brutal heat fueling severe storms for 24 million Americans. Bill Cairns is standing by with the timing. Also breaking tonight, the new battle over Trump's classified DOCS case.

Special counsel Jack Smith working to revive the federal case against the former president after it was dismissed last month. His fight to reverse the decision and his scathing rebuke, arguing the decision sets a precedent that could have far-reaching impacts or breaking down the latest legal action. Debates in doubt. Former President Trump's throwing the next presidential face off in limbo, railing against ABC and his opponent. Trump and Vice President Harris now at odds over rules including muted mics. We will see them on a debate stage with 70 days to go or not, and how both campaigns are ramping up their battleground blitz. Pig cocaine danger, the emerging threat over the new designer drug containing a potentially lethal mix. The narcotic tied to music mogul Sean Ditty combs in a lawsuit, and Miami police saying it played a role in a deadly crash.

The urgent warning about the drug popping up across the United States. trapped at 250 feet above the ground. Frightening moments at a six flags as a storm leaves riders stuck dangling above the amusement park. How the sky high thrill quickly spiraled into a nightmare. And the new record-shattering moment for baseball legend Babe Ruth, his famed jersey from the 1932 World Series, now the most expensive sports memorabilia ever auctioned. How much the iconic collectible went for and the history-making moment in that very a uniform. Plus, both presidential campaigns dishing out proposals to ditch taxes on tips.

But do their plans really serve up for the financial relief they promise? Top story starts right now. And good evening. Thanks for joining us. I'm Morgan Chesky in for Tom Yamis tonight. And we're following an emergency situation in Alaska after a monster landslide caught a community completely off guard. Massive piles of dirt cascading down a massed. mountainside, bearing homes toppling trees and leaving at least one person dead. This all happening in the town of Ketchikan along the southern coast of the state, and new video shows the devastation left behind. Cars are wrapped in down to power lines, piles of debris completely mangled.

That slide also triggered evacuation orders, heavy downpours in the region and now pushing rivers to the brink, that communities on edge concerned over the potential for a secondary landslide. Extreme weather also wreaking havoc further south, a dangerous situation. situation unfolding in the Grand Canyon, torrential rains unleashing flash floods and the popular tourist destination. Officials saying a woman was killed after she was swept away by rushing waters. And these dramatic videos taken just an hour apart, once beautiful blue waters quickly turning into a raging brown river. More than 100 people had to be evacuated, many airlifted after they were left stranded in the national park. Also tonight, 24 million people are facing

the threat for severe storms, parts of the Midwest and New England at risk for downpours, damaging winds, and even hail. Meteorologist Bill Cairns is standing by to time it out. But first, we do start in Alaska where a state of emergency is in effect tonight. Tonight, frightening new glimpses of an Alaskan town partially buried after a hillside collapsed. The devastating landslide, crunching entire homes. We were just at that house for a garage sale last weekend. This is terrible.

Sunday's tragedy, unleashing a deadly. wave of snapped trees, toppled power poles, pushing a mountain of debris into a hillside neighborhood. The slide sideswiping the town of Ketchikan, a seaside destination on Alaska's famed inside passage and a frequent stop for cruise lines. Officials confirming one person was killed while driving when the slide swallowed their vehicle. I was stunned because in my 65 years here, I've never seen anything of that scale. Mayor Dave Kiffer calls the loss of life. heartbreaking. But stresses the current damage zone could spread even further. There's about a quarter of the town currently at risk for yet another slide. Yes. How frightening is that?

It's very frightened. To be honest, I don't think of any people in Catch Can walk about their daily lives thinking, hey, that mountain's going to come down. And now we have to. As for any cause, officials say the landslide struck following an unusually dry August. Look at that. When a weekend storm left conditions soaked. It's definitely heartbreaking the sea. It affects your mind and tremendously. It's traumatizing for sure. Leah Canfield, one of several whose homes were damaged, all too aware. This may not be over. And we turn now to the deadly flash flooding over in the Grand Canyon. Tonight, Park officials were covering the body of a 33-year-old hiker. She and her husband were caught in the rushing floodwaters that swept through parts of the canyon last Thursday.

And over the weekend, Arizona's governor deploying the state's national. regard to rescue more than a hundred people trapped at the bottom of a canyon. For more on this, Dana Griffin joins me now from here in Los Angeles. Dana, I know you've been following the story all week and long. Do we know any more about the status of those rescue efforts? Well, they wrapped up those rescue efforts yesterday. It took two days, and they rescued about 104 not only hikers, but also tribal members that live down in that Kenya.

I spoke to a couple that were stranded, and it was just a harrowing mission. I mean, you're taking a live look at some of the images, part of a canyon wall disintegrated, carried away by this rushing river. This is moving through campsites where everyone lost tents and all of their belongings. Many having to link arm and arm just to make it through the mud and those raging rivers so that no one else would get swept away. You talked about the 33-year-old Arizona woman that died. She was swept away, along with her husband on Thursday. They just found her body on Sunday. They're also looking into what happened and what went.

wrong there. One woman I interviewed, she says that she thanks a ranger, a friend of hers, who told her it's really dangerous to go hiking in this canyonous area during monsoon season. He said, the moment you hear thunder, head for higher ground. She says she believes that saved her in her family's life. Morgan? Yeah, you have to be incredibly aware. Data, we know this flooding took place, not only at a popular tourist designation, but inside an Indian reservation as well. Do we know anything about the situation and what it's like for those who actually live there? Yeah, well, a lot of them actually had to be airlifted by the Arizona National Guard

carried to the rim of the canyon. Right now, the Havasupah Indian Reservation is partially closed because of the impacts there. It's pretty dangerous. So they are not allowing tourists back in at this time. They have to do a lot of cleanup, try to get debris out, and make sure that those canyon walls are shore up so that people don't go hiking and then more of it comes crumbling down, just like with the landslide in Alaska. sometimes when there's too much water that inundates a land, there could be slides.

So right now they are working to clean up that area. Some of the tribal members are still there. Obviously, it's still inhabitable. But for some areas, especially these campsites, people are, it's not safe for people to go there and no word yet on how long it will take for them to clean up this area. Morgan? Yeah, truly stunning scenes from a place that is very much known for its beauty. Dana Griffin, thank you so much tonight.

And for more on the severe weather across the state. the country. NBC news meteorologist Bill Karens joins me now. Bill, I know you're tracking storms out in the plains. What's the latest tonight? Morgan, all eyes on our friends in the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul. You can see where they're located here. You can see this line of storms out to the west. All the little white flashes are lightning strikes. This thunderstorm complex has an amazing amount of lightning strikes, and of course, extremely dangerous, too, to anyone outdoors. I mean, there's hundreds with this thunderstorm complex. This has about maybe a half hour to 45 minutes before it gets over here towards the Twin Cities, just for your timing.

During the night tonight, we have a new line of storms that's forming up by Rapid City. That's going to move through South Dakota, into Minnesota, and eventually through Wisconsin during the overnight hours. This is going to go well into tomorrow morning. Damaging wind, hail, isolated tornadoes. We've only had one report of our tornadoes so far with no significant damage. Tomorrow at this time, I'll be talking about storms from Green Bay to Milwaukee to Chicago, 22, 29 million included, and eventually over here towards Detroit, Saginaw also. And then by the time we get to, you know, Wednesday, Morgan, we're talking the East Coast gets involved, even New York City.

Right. And I know that in addition to the severe weather, they're also anticipating some significant temperatures there, a potential heat wave. How hot could it get here, Bill? Some areas like Kansas City are seeing the hottest weather of the summer. And for Chicago, that'll be tomorrow. So this is the current heat index. It feels at this hour, 109 in Des Moines, 108 in Davenport. It's humid.

Chicago's 103. Tomorrow, Chicago is going to feel like 111. For those reasons, excessive heat warnings. We got schools back in session. We got after-school practices. And a lot of them are being canceled just because it's just too high and gets too dangerous. So tomorrow, 110 in Chicago. And just like those storms, everything is going to slide to the East Coast, Morgan, by the time we get to Wednesday.

Summer and full effect, Bill Cairns, thank you so much. We're following another major story tonight. Special counsel, Jack Smith and the Justice Department are urging a federal appeals court to reinstate the classified documents case against former President Trump after a judge dismissed it. Now, you'll recall, Judge Aileen Cannon threw out the case back in July on grounds of that Smith's appointment of the case violated the U.S. Constitution. Joining us now is NBC News Justice and Intelligence correspondent, Ken Delanian. Ken, thanks for being with us tonight. So we're all curious. What does this appeal mean for the classified documents case? I know legally you've got your eye on a lot of things here. Hey, Morgan. Well, this is really the beginning of what could be a long process here.

What it means is that the Justice Department is going to be able to argue before a new set of judges that Judge Eileen Cannon was fundamentally wrong here on the law. And what they say in this brief is that she went against decades of precedent and every other judge that's ever looked at this issue, including the justices of the Supreme Court. They say she's just fundamentally wrong when she says that it was inappropriate and it legal for Merrick Garland to appoint Jack Smith as the special counsel without Senate confirmation. They also say that this ruling, if it stood, would imperil many other appointments across the government. And they're asking for oral arguments here. So they filed a very detailed legal

brief, and then the next step would be oral arguments in front of this group of appellate judges in Atlanta, Morgan. So from a brief to the oral arguments, Ken, is there any way we could see this resolved before their 2024 election? A chance, Morgan. No chance at all. This is a long process that could ultimately find its way to the Supreme Court. So what does that mean? That means that if Donald Trump wins the election and then takes office, he can order his Justice Department to dismiss this case and the other federal case against him. If he loses, though, this is going to plot along and ultimately it will be decided. And a lot of legal experts think that this judge will be reversed and this case will be reinstated, Morgan. We know you'll be watching all of it. Ken Delanyan. Thank you so much. You bet. And with 71 days left until the election, former President Trump is casting doubt on his participation in the only scheduled debate between himself and Vice President Harris. This is as Trump returns to the campaign trail targeting key swing states.

NBC's Garrett Haig, breaks it down tonight. Tonight, the Trump and Harris campaigns dueling over next month's critical presidential debate. This morning, Trump casting doubt about attending, and now a new wrinkle. The deal was we keep the same rules. Now, all of a sudden, they want to make a change in the rules. because she can't answer questions. In the last face-off at the Biden campaign's request, candidates' microphones were muted while the other candidate was speaking to prevent interruptions.

But now the Harris campaign is asking for the mics to be left on at all times. Trump's campaign objecting, but the candidates seeming to acquiesce today while taunting the vice president. It doesn't matter to me. I'd rather have it probably un-the-truth. The truth is they're trying to get out of it because she doesn't want a debate. She's not a good debater. She's not a smart person. Vice President Harris has been off the trail since her acceptance speech last Thursday.

Sources tell NBC News she's held at least one mock debate. We've got 75 days ago, so maybe for better and for worse, that's the way I am. Like that was good, and now we've got to move on. All of it as former President Trump was in Battleground, Michigan, looking to step on any Harris post-convention bounds. Campaign sources tell NBC News he's planning more aggressive fall travel. And while polls show voters give Harris the advantage on health care and abortion rights, Trump aiming to hammer Harris on two issues where they show she's vulnerable, the economy and the border.

Under Kamala Harris, American veterans are treated worse by far than illegal aliens. Illegal aliens are treated. You ever see him to stay in hotels? We have veterans sleeping on the street. Speaking to a National Guard conference, Trump slamming the vice president over the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, where 13 U.S. service members were killed. three years ago. Today, Trump laying a wreath at Arlington.

The humiliation in Afghanistan set off the collapse of American credibility and respect all around the world. Harris today, writing of the fallen, my prayers are with their families and loved ones. My heart breaks for their pain and their loss. Morgan, a Harris campaign aide says former President Trump should honor his commitment. And after Trump earlier suggested he's fine without the muted mics, the Harris campaign insists now everything is set. But tonight, Trump says he's still thinking about whether or not to do that debate. Morgan? All right, very interesting. Garrett Hake, we thank you.

And for more on the debate, over the debate, and the state of the 2024 presidential race. Want to bring in NBC News, senior political editor Mark Murray. Mark, thanks for being with us. We're learning of the disagreements by the campaigns over the microphones being muted during the debate, scheduled first September 10th. I'm curious, how does the top of the ticket impact this change in preference by the Harris campaign? Yeah, Morgan, a little refresh. back when Joe Biden led up leading the Democratic ticket, he and his campaign ended up negotiating

to cut off the mics to really stop the interruptions that we ended up seeing from Donald Trump in their first 2020 presidential debate four years ago. But as we ended up seeing, actually having the mics cut off when the candidate was not speaking didn't allow for any kind of interruptions and ended up focusing a lot of the fire and attention on Joe Biden. So now all a sudden the Harris campaign says, hey, we want the microphones back on with a different candidate, thinking that somehow the interruptions from Donald Trump would benefit Harris. And, of course, this is all part of the negotiations that are taking place. And some of this could just be posturing where you're trying to actually work the refs,

but it has led to real doubts that the debates might not happen. And Mark, we also know now former President Trump is ramping up his campaign schedule in some of those key essential battleground states. Based on the polling that you're watching, what states do you think will see the campaign see most of the candidates visit over the next 71 days here. Yeah, this remains a very close race, even though the Democrats and the Harris campaign are in a much better position than they were a month ago and when Joe Biden was leading the ticket.

Later this week, we're going to see Donald Trump campaign in Pennsylvania as well as Michigan. And Morgan, I think those two states are really key here in some ways in a little better political environment for Donald Trump. If he is able to flip one of those key battleground states, maybe also throw in Wisconsin, Listen, that is his path to 270 electoral college votes. But overall, right now, this is a much more difficult electoral path for Donald Trump than we ended up seeing a month ago, where it looked like Joe Biden's one path to victory was sweeping the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. And right now, Kamala Harris is looking good in those three states, along with the Sunbelt states of Arizona and Georgia.

Yeah, certainly more options. And Mark, finally here. Today, Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic 2020 presidential primary candidate who left the party in 2022, endorsed former President Trump. We recently saw RFK Jr. drop out of the race and then endorsed Trump on Friday. So how big of an issue do these kinds of endorsements actually have on the larger race? Are voters paying attention to this, or is this merely the candidates trying to get their name mentioned into the news cycle here? Morgan, at best, it probably helps at the margins.

And what we're seeing from both sides is trying to get the endorse. from the other party to try to seem as the more independent or bipartisan candidate. Remember last week, Democrats in the Harris campaign ended up parading a lot of Republicans and former Republicans who say they're going to vote for Kamala Harris. And last week, at the end of the week, we saw the Donald Trump pick up the endorsement from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and now getting Tulsi Gabbard's endorsement. She's the former Democratic Congresswoman from Hawaii, although in some ways this isn't that big of a surprise. Gabbard's already been helping the Trump campaign in debate prep, and Gabbard has been

very critical of her former party and certainly ended up sparring and clashing with Kamala Harris in their 2020 presidential debates four years ago. All right. Mark Murray, breaking it all down for us. Mark, we thank you. Turning overseas now to the latest in the Middle East tonight, Israel and Hezbollah exchanging cross-border strikes over the weekend, sparking fears of a wider regional conflict. Let's go to Matt Bradley, who is in the region tonight, where it seems tensions might just be cooling off here. Matt? Yeah, Morgan, well, it was the fight that the entire Middle East had been dreading for the past month,

and in the end, all sides stepped back from the brink. It started before yesterday with what the Israelis called a preemptive strike in anticipation of a Hezbollah attack. And shortly afterward, the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah fired multiple hundreds of drones. and rockets at Israeli military targets in the north and central parts of Israel. And we heard from the Israelis, they said that there were no civilians who were killed, and there was very minimum damage. So it looks as though this was almost a military or political catharsis. Both sides were able to claim victory, and they did,

and both sides said they were no longer interested in pursuing the other. Now, this kind of bookends more than 10 months of fighting along that border, border between Israel and Lebanon. But it was by far the worst violence that that border has seen in nearly 20 years. But it's not entirely clear if this is over yet. We heard from Lloyd Austin. He's the Secretary of Defense of the United States. He said that two aircraft carrier strike groups that had been positioned off the Middle East shores are going to remain there for an indefinite amount of time. That's because Iran has also vowed to retaliate against the

Israelis. They've said they're going to do this at any time. I spoke with an Israeli official just yesterday and was told that Israelis believed that the Iranians won't be attacking Israel as long as those negotiations in Cairo are continuing. Those negotiations have been shrouded in pessimism for much of the last couple of months. U.S. officials have said that those negotiations have been constructive and are set to continue. But we've heard that before. But as long as the Blacks keep talking, the big guns across the Middle East are expected to stay silent. Morgan. All right, we'll be watching, Matt. Thank you.

And we move now to Russia and Ukraine. Moscow launching one of the largest missile attacks of the war, killing at least four people and striking critical energy facilities across Ukraine, according to authorities. Now, that bombardment coming just two days after Ukrainians celebrated more than three decades of independence from the Soviet Union. Aaron McLaughlin was in Kharkiv during that very assault. In Kyiv, a Russian missile strikes near a critical dam, stunning Ukrainian soldiers. Part of Russia's latest attempt, the Ukrainian president says, to terrify.

Russia launched more than 120 missiles and 100 drones, he says, killing at least four and damaging civilian infrastructure, triggering rolling blackouts in the capital and sparking international condemnation. We condemn in the strongest possible terms, Russia's continued war against Ukraine and its efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into dark. The attack, days after Ukraine, marked its independence with a somber ceremony in the capital. This morning, our team woke to the sound of explosions and took shelter. As did millions of other Ukrainians, metro stations once again doubled as safe havens. Yet within hours, life

returned to normal as the fighting rages on. And Ukrainian commanders braced for a long war. for free freedom. Two years ago, we met Colonel Igor Obelensky. Shortly after his men pushed the Russians out of the area around Harkiv. Since then, he fought in the battle for Bakhmut, one of the bloodiest of the war. The last time we met, you told me something that stuck with me, that you were fighting for your little boy so that he didn't have to. When your son becomes a man, do you think this war will still be going?

Maybe, yeah. But it's not very active face, but I think, yeah, it will be. Tonight, Ukrainian officials say of the 127 Russian missiles fired today at Ukraine, they shot down 102. And according to reports, the drones were made in Iran. Back to you. Still ahead tonight, the warning about a new party drug known as pink cocaine, the synthetic drug allegedly used by a model before she was involved in a deadly crash. and named in a lawsuit against Sean Diddy Combs, why authorities say it is so dangerous. Plus, the founder of the popular messaging app telegram arrested outside Paris, the charges he could be facing

and why it's sparking a debate over free speech and frightening moments at a zoo in New Jersey after a woman jumped into the tiger enclosure. How that dangerous encounter came to an end. Stay with us. And we're back now with the latest party drug hitting the streets. It's called Pink Cocaine. The drug cocktail is named in a high-profile case involving music mogul Sean Diddy Combs.

Now, police say it was also used during a deadly crash in Miami. Valerie Castro tonight with a big warning from authorities. It's called Pink Cocaine, the newest club drug that's also found its place in some high-profile cases. It seems to be viewed as a party drug. But despite the name, law enforcement officials say it rarely has much cocaine in it. The pink color coming from food coloring. More likely, it contains ketamine. Sometimes we find it with MDMA.

Sometimes cocaine is mixed in with it. But as is typical with a lot of the drugs that we're seeing out on the street today, it's a mixture. It's one of the drugs listed in a lawsuit against music mogul Shandidi Combs filed in February by producer Rodney Little Rod Jones. Jones accusing Combs of threatening him, sexually harassing him and drugging him. Court documents say Jones witnessed Combs' chief of staff, Christina Corum, named as a defendant in the suit, requiring other employees to keep a supply of Mr. Combs' drug of choice immediately ready when he asks for it in reference to several substances, including Toosey, another name for pink cocaine. Combs' attorney calling the entire lawsuit in a statement, pure fiction, and on Monday, his legal team filing to dismiss the case in a motion obtained by NBC News.

A social media model is now at the center of attention in a deadly downtown Miami crash. Pink cocaine also named a factor in this high-speed crash in Miami earlier this month that killed two people, according to police. The 24-year-old behind the wheel of the white Mercedes, self-proclaimed social media model, Macy Marie Lathers. Police say Lathers confessing to them she was high on the drug at the time. She advised she was under the influence of 2C, a known party drug, and that she was from the future and had a crystal ball. Police records show the car reached a speed of nearly 80 miles an hour at 100 percent acceleration when it slammed into two other vehicles. She's an absolute danger of the community based on killing two people from her driving, which you shouldn't have been

in a car. NBC News reached out to Lather's attorney regarding the allegations, but did not hear back. Pink cocaine, not hard to find. Experts say it can be bought not only on the streets, but also online. We have done investigations where it's been advertised on social, media. There have been undercover purchases. We've made a rest in connection with it. A dangerous drug cocktail potentially just a click away. The drug market now is more dangerous than I've ever seen it. None of the drugs are what they're being hawked as. And you absolutely cannot trust that your dealer is selling you a product that you asked for. And dangerous indeed. And Valerie Kouster joins us now from 30.

Rocky Rock. So Valerie, I'm curious. You mentioned that peak cocaine is a mixture of a variety of different drugs. Do we know where this particular drug is coming from? Well, Morgan, prosecutors say that it is difficult to pinpoint because the most common ingredient in pink cocaine is typically ketamine. Ketamine, of course, can be obtained legally here in the U.S. It can be used as part of a therapeutic treatment program to treat things like depression or anxiety, PTSD. But tragically, as we saw in the case of actor Matthew Perry, it can also have deadly consequences. consequences when it is obtained illegally. Morgan. All right, Valerie Castro, thanks so much.

Moving overseas now to the arrest of the founder and CEO of Telegram. It's the messaging app popular across the world for its pro-privacy policies and minimal platform protection. French authorities detaining the tech mogul at an airport near Paris, citing an investigation into criminal activity on the app and a lack of cooperation with authorities. NBC foreign correspondent Megan Fitzgerald explains. Tonight, Telegram CEO Pavel Durav in custody for alleged defenses related to his widely popular private messaging and social media app. The 39-year-old billionaire dubbed Russia's Mark Zuckerberg arrested shortly after landing in France Saturday night.

The Paris Prosecutor's Office says the arrest is part of a larger investigation related to complicity in illegal transactions and possessing and distributing child pornography. which the company says is used by more than 900 million people is popular for its group chat feature and for the ability to follow and comment on individual channels or accounts. But the app's focus on free speech has also made it an appealing online home for fringe groups. It's where the FBI says the far-right group, the proud boys, organized themselves in the lead-up to the January 6th attack on the Capitol. And where the Islamic State has cordoned.

and spread propaganda. Specific charges against Durav are still unclear, but the arrest has sparked outrage from prominent figures, including Elon Musk, who wrote hashtag Free Pavel on X, his platform where he's adopted a similar free speech approach. U.S. tech companies like Google generally comply with lawful court orders from other nations requesting user data of people suspected of crimes, something Durav, a dual French and UAEC,

citizen who runs telegram out of Dubai usually ignores. For me, my number one priority in life is my freedom. Even admitting in a rare interview with right-wing media personality, Tucker Carlson. It's not that we don't care, but we think it's important to have this platform that is neutral to all voices. In Russia, where the messaging app is extremely popular, some locals like this man saying they believe Durag was arrested for his support. free speech. French president, Emmanuel Macron, quickly responding to the backlash, saying

the arrest was not politically motivated, adding in part, quote, France is more than anything attached to freedom of expression and communication, innovation, and entrepreneurship. It will remain so. In a statement, telegrams saying Durav has nothing to hide and that it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform. And Megan Fitzgerald joins us now from London. So, Megan, what's next for Darab? Do we know when he'll appear in court? You know, Morgan, it's a good question.

Look, this is a very detailed and thorough investigation here that's been ongoing since the beginning of July. It focuses on a person who's not been named, so it's unclear if Durab will even be charged. It's also important to note here, it focuses on something else. I want to read for you. It says improper use of cryptography and failure to allow authorized law enforcement interception. Now, police have the authority to keep him until Wednesday. Morgan? Megan Fitzgerald, we thank you.

And when we come back, an apparent cyber attack on one of the nation's busiest airports, Seattle's CETAC airport hit with internet phone and email outages. The effect it's having on travelers and the investigation now underway to determine who's behind that cyber attack. Stick around. And we're back now at Top Stories News Feed, starting in Alabama tonight, where a community's in morning following the shocking death of a high school football star. Officials say 16-year-old Caden Teller died after suffering a brain injury during his season school season opener. No word yet on exactly what happened.

However, Alabama ISD says he likely ruptured a. blood vessel in his brain after being tackled. Seattle Tacoma Airport recovering tonight after a massive cyber attack. This hack shut down both web and internet access, including the airport's own website. Tens of thousands of travelers were stuck in long lines as several flights were delayed into chaos. Luckily, TSA was not impacted, no word yet on who led the attack or why, and it's still unclear when the attack will be resolved. However, an investigation is ongoing. A woman has been arrested after jumping into a tiger exhibit at a New Jersey Zoo. You heard that correctly. Video shows a 24-year-old inside the enclosure attempting to touch the Bengal tiger. The tiger nearly

biting her before she jumps back over the fence to safety. That woman reportedly spotted inside the bear enclosure that same day. She now faces a trespassing charge as well as two city ordinance violations. And a consumer alert for you tonight, Walmart's recalling one of their great-value brand apple juice products over elevated levels of arsenic. Now, the 8-ounce six-pack products were sold in 25 states, including New York, Puerto Rico, and D.C. Consumers are advised to immediately dispose of the juice as ingesting arsenic may cause serious health risks because of cancer and birth defects. Walmart and their Netherlands-based manufacturer are currently investigating. Now to the deadly mosquito-borne disease that's

putting multiple towns in Massachusetts on high alert tonight. State officials warning about the potential spread of a rare mosquito virus resurging for the first time in nearly four years. Now, it's called Eastern equine encephalitis, also known as Triple E. The announcement coming last week after a man contracted the disease, and he's now hospitalized. So far, at least two counties in Massachusetts are under critical risk for the virus. People urge to limit time outdoors, especially in the evenings, Plymouth completely shutting down its parks and outdoor recreation centers from dusk to dawn. Now, according to the CDC, AAA is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, approximately killing 30% of people who contract that virus.

To break all of this down for us, Dr. John Torres joins us now. Dr. John, this all sounds pretty frightening here. Also, there are reports of this virus spreading across New York State. CDC classifying this disease as, quote, very rare. So how concerned should we all be? And Morgan, you're right. They're classifying as a very rare disease, but it's also a very serious disease. And that's why we're paying attention to it right now. Like you mentioned, you know, there's that one case that 80-year-old gentleman who is hospitalized because of it. It has a high mortality rate, especially if it ends up penetrating into the brain or spinal column. You mentioned 30 percent. It's 90 percent of it gets into the neurosystem. And that's the big concern here.

Not the fact there's one person, but the fact that it does seem to be spreading. And so I think for most people, not only do you need to be a little bit concerned about this, but overall, you need to be concerned about mosquitoes in general because it's not just this disease, West Nile virus, other diseases that are out there, the mosquitoes spread. You need to avoid them, Morgan. Yeah, exactly, Doc. And to that point, there are hundreds of mosquito-borne illnesses. So if someone's concerned about contracting specifically AAA here, what are some of the symptoms they need to be on the lookout for, and how can they best protect themselves? So when it comes to AAA, the symptoms start off like flu-like symptoms that we talk about for most things. And they essentially get headaches, fatigues, muscle aches, but then it can start getting into

neurological system. And that's when people start getting headaches. They might start getting eye pain. They start acting confused or maybe aren't able to move their extremities like they normally do. And then they can get into a coma, or what we call it, a stuporous, very hard-to-awake-type state. And that's when it becomes very dangerous. And so you are correct. You need to avoid the mosquitoes.

And the best way to do that, like you mentioned, is to avoid going out at night when these mosquitoes are active, also tend to be active early. in the morning, and also make sure that you're wearing mosquito repellent, long-sleeved shirts, long-sleeve pants, the things you can do to avoid that mosquito bite because you never know which one might be infected and which one might transmit this to you. A great point there, Doc. And I'm curious, seasonally speaking, as we transition into fall, can we expect to see the mosquito threat at least kind of taper off here as temperatures drop? You know, unfortunately, Morgan, right now, August and September are the high seasons for not,

just triple E, but also for West Nile virus, which has now become the biggest mosquito transmitted illness here in the United States. And because of climate change, because of moisture patterns changing and because of the heat changing, mosquitoes are also changing their environment, so they're getting into other areas they weren't necessarily at. So we have about another month of full mosquito season, and then it's just start tapering off in the winter. The other thing you need to do is look around your house and get rid of any standing water. Even a thimbleful or a bottle cap full of water can hold hundreds of mosquito larvae.

So you want to make sure you get rid of any standing water to make sure mosquitoes can't breathe. And that's the best thing you can do for you, your family, and your community, Morgan. Dr. John Torres, we thank you. And out of Top Stories Global Watch, starting with a deadly collapse at an ice cave with a group of tourists inside.

New aerial video shows first responders searching for two missing people at a glacier in southeastern Iceland. Now, officials say the unexpected collapse killed one and injured, another. An international group of about 25 tourists were exploring the ice caves at the time. Officials had the collapse was likely not related to the recent volcanic corruption in that area. And a scary scene at Six Flags in Mexico, where intense rain left a group of people stuck on a ride.

Look at this. We have some footage in just tonight shared on social media showing riders dangling in the air as they are pelted with rain. Officials say the sudden storm disrupted ride operations, leaving riders strained at almost 250 feet up in the air. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Those riders were safely evacuated. And Australians are receiving the right to disconnect after work hours. Listen to this. New law allows employees to ignore calls or messages from their employer off the clock within reason. Now, under the rule, staff has right to not reply unless their refusal is unreasonable. If employers and employees cannot resolve the dispute, Australia's government would theoretically step in. A survey last year found Australians worked on average.

281 hours of unpaid overtime annually. Now to an update on those astronauts stranded on the International Space Station after they experienced multiple issues with their Boeing spacecraft. NASA now saying the pair will return to Earth in February with SpaceX, which is gearing up for a separate mission this week. I'm Marissa Parra in Cape Canaveral tonight with the latest. A week-long mission in space is now an eight-month journey for NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore, and Sunny Woolmore.

Williams. NASA has decided that Butch and Sonny will return with crew nine next February. The pair stranded aboard the International Space Station after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft faced a number of technical issues, including helium leaks and issues with the Crofts thrusters, which are vital for re-entry. Starliner will now return without them, and NASA is now tapping SpaceX to leave them two extra seats on their previously scheduled crew nine mission. After a series of in space and on Earth. NASA deciding a crude trip back on Starliner was just too risky, citing the uncertainty in what the thrusters would do when the ship would undock and return to orbit. The decision to keep Butch and sunny aboard the International Space Station

and bring the Boeing Starliner home uncrewed is a result of a commitment to safety. Boeing, writing in a statement, we continue to focus first and foremost on the safety of the crew and spacecraft. Last month, Tom Costello asking both Wilmore and Williams about the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, including past issues of being over budget and behind schedule. Are you confident in the performance of the shift for future missions as well? This is a tough business that we're in. Human spaceflight is not easy in any regime. And there have been multiple issues with every spacecraft that's ever been designed. And that's the nature of what we do. You know, that monitor you've heard failure is not an option. That's why we are staying here now. Over the weekend,

Butch Wilmore's wife reacting to the most recent news, telling the Associated Press that their family is, quote, praying for a safe return on whatever spacecraft that may be. We know it's the Lord's plan. Meanwhile, in a separate mission, years in the making, SpaceX is on the eve of making history with the Polaris Dawn team. Welcome to our simulator. Together, the private four-person crew will travel 870 miles above Earth. The highest humans have gone since the last moon mission over 50 years ago.

We're Siparum, NBC News. Coming up next to tax or not to tax, both presidential candidates running on the promise of ending tax on tips. Many servers thrilled at the idea, but with a policy that is rare support from both Democrats and Republicans really help the service workers.

We'll take a closer look. Stick around. And we're back now with the presidential campaign promise stirring up quite a bit of debate. But it's one former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris actually agree on, believe it or not. The two saying they want to do away with taxes on tips. A promise Trump started campaigning on back in June with Harris joining him earlier this month. And both candidates touting the plan at their own rallies in Las Vegas, a city, of course, that runs on hospitality in a swing state critical to a win this November. We've come here today to talk about the biggest promise I think that the restaurant workers

have had in a long time, and that's no tax on tips. And in our case, we mean it. Somebody that I know just copied it, just copied it. And it is my promise to everyone here when I am president, we will continue our fight for working families of America and eliminate taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers. many in the service industry are supporting the idea, hopefully it would help their bottom line, and lessen the uncertainty that often comes with those fluctuating tips. But some financial experts say not so fast. One of those opponents is Rick Newman, a senior columnist at Yahoo Finance, and he joins us

now. Rick, big thanks for joining Top Story tonight, waving right back at you. You've written about why I think not taxing tips is a, quote, terrible idea, putting it lightly there. Walk me through your argument against his policy. Sure. I was a waiter. in my teens and 20s. I mean, I surely would have loved to pay a little bit less in tax. However, I didn't pay all that much tax on tips then anyway, and a lot of people who get tips don't pay all their tax on that. I mean, the government estimates that people who get paid in tips only pay about 40 or 50 percent of it in tax. But let's say you actually did this. It would be a couple of things could happen. First of all, it's true that a lot of low-income people

you're trying to help here would benefit because a lot of low-income people do get paid through tips, but there are also a lot of low-income people who do not get paid through tips. So if you're trying to help low-income people, you're only focusing on those who get paid in tips and you're not doing anything at all for other low-income people who you're supposedly trying to help. The other thing here is if you were to actually pass a law allowing this, guess what might happen. There are a lot of wealthy people who are investors, people who do not get their money from a normal paycheck, but who make a lot of money by charging fees or investing, they could suddenly claim that all of that money, millions of dollars in income, is tips. So hedge fund managers,

instead of charging a 20% fee, they could tell their clients to pay them a 20% tip, and then they could say, well, it's a tip, so it's not subject to income. Now, I guess you could set income limits or things like that, but you're potentially opening a can of worms. And I would just remind people, this is not something that a president can do on his own or on her own. This would require Congress to act. And this is a low, low level priority when you get to all the different things you could do to fix the tax code. So that Pandora's box, can of worms aside, why do you think both campaigns have latched onto this so vocally as one of their key tent polls of their economic policies here. We got 70 days ago until Election Day, and I feel like you hear about this particular

topic from both candidates almost every speech they have. Right. And the reason is not because it's a great economic idea or policy idea, it's because Nevada is a swing state, and there are 350,000 hospitality workers in Nevada. Now, just to put this in context, Joe Biden won Nevada in 2020, only by 34,000 votes. So there are 10 times as many hospitality workers who are getting paid in tips in Nevada. That's obviously because of Las Vegas, mainly, and also Reno and Tahoe. And this state is worth six electoral votes. And, you know, we do have scenarios where the electoral vote could come down to a 269-2-69 tie. So there are seven swing states. Nevada is one of them. When Trump announced his plan, he said, oh, it was a waitress in

who gave me this idea. When Kamala Harris said she likes it, too, she made that announcement in Nevada. They're both trying to win Nevada in the 2024 presidential election. No accident whatsoever. Great points there. None. I am curious, though. What would you say to a server, servers who see this as a solution to increase their take-home pay? I'm reminded of my college days waiting tables. What would you tell those folks? I'm not a politician, so I don't have to beg for votes and pander for votes. I would say it sounds like a great idea, but why single out people who get paid in tips? I mean, you know, maids who clean hotel rooms don't get paid in tips.

Why are people who get paid in tips any better? And it's in everybody's interest to have a sensible tax code that you can actually enforce with fewer, not more loopholes for, you know, armies of, tax lawyers to figure out how to how to get their rich clients through. So how about the lowest possible taxes and the strongest growth we can have all around the country instead of gimmicks that just single out groups whose votes politicians need. Fair points all around. But Rick, you got to leave a little something for the hotel made, right? Especially if it's a multi-day stay. Yeah, and I guess you're right. Maybe people should just be tipping more. But you're also running into

You know, tipping culture is driving people crazy. Everybody's getting tired of tipping. So I don't have any magic bullets here. Sorry, man. No magic bullets, no easy answers, but we thank you nonetheless. Rick Newman, thank you so much. Yeah, thank you. And when we come back, the record-breaking sports auction,

the Jersey Babe Ruth wore when calling a shot in the World Series against the Cubs. Now the most expensive sports collectible ever sold. How much it went for? and the mystery of who is behind it. See it with us. Finally tonight, selling a slice of baseball magic. The Jersey Babe Ruth wore for his famous called shot,

now being called up at the auction block, selling for one record-breaking sum and securing a new place in baseball history. Babe Ruth, up there's the pitch, and he smacks it out in the right field. It's one of baseball's greatest moments, Not just his story, but legendary. I wanted to get him to 10 World Series and it looks like it has arrived.

Yankees slugger Babe Ruth, calling his shot before smashing a home run during the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. Well, I looked down to center field and I explore it. I said, I'm going to have the next pitch ball right past the flag court. The gestures meaning long debated and imitated from The Natural. Come on, Danunas. to the sand lot. But was the great Bambino pointing to center fields, to the Cubs bench, or to the stand? Woo!

Teammate Lou Gehrig told NBC Radio, there's no debate. It happened, just like you've heard. He stands up there and tells the world that he's going to sock that next one. And not only left, but he tells the world right where he's going to sock it into the center field stand. A few seconds later, the boy was just where he pointed in the center field stand. He called his shot and then made it. Now, the jersey worn in that historic moment just sold at auction. 1932 was Ruth's last World Series.

The called shot was his last career World Series home run. So when you can tie an item like that to an important figure in their most important moment, that's what collectors are really looking for. The price tag for this priceless artifact, $24 million. The most valuable sports item ever come to auction, and everyone in our industry is very excited to see where it can go. And before it sold, the historic uniform even went on tour. Went to Wrigley Field for the first time since 1932. Giving fans a rare glimpse at the very cloth draped over the Colossus of Clout, now part of a baseball myth.

For something that likes baseball as much as I do, this is really a marvelous trait to see his ears. Heritage Auctions says the buyer wishes to remain anonymous. So the legend and the mystery of that moment lives on. Definitely proves that age old saying true. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die. Thanks so much for watching Top Story. I'm Morgan Chesky. And for Tom Yamis.

Stay right here. More news now is on the way. Thank you.