Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, February 3, 2025

Episode Date: February 4, 2025

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, the Trump administration's latest move that could shut down U.S.AID operations across the globe. Tech billionaire Elon Musk saying he and President Trump agreed to close the U.S. agency for international development, which provides critical support to several countries in crisis. Employees there locked out of computer systems and told not to show up to work. This, as the White House confirms a new role for Elon Musk. Also, tonight, the U.S. temporarily averting a trade war with Mexico and Canada. Ossides agreeing to a delay in tariffs on the condition Mexico and Canada ramp up security at their borders. How long the delay is expected to last and how it could affect your bottom line.

Back-to-back tragedies. Salvage efforts underway in D.C. as officials try to piece together what caused that fatal mid-air collision. And in Philadelphia, new details emerging about the medical jet crash. killed seven people. Saints damage control. The NFL team facing new allegations that they helped the Catholic Church try to mitigate fallout from a sexual abuse scandal. The hundreds of emails between the Saints front office and church leaders. Trash Day explosion. Video capturing the moment a garbage truck blows up right in front of a worker. What caused that terrifying blast. And brain chip breakthrough, a man who is paralyzed from the chest down, now able to do some ordinary

movements like picking things up, the tiny technology making it possible. Plus, the state moving forward with a ban on the AI chatbot, Deepseek, and other Chinese-owned apps. Top story starts right now. Good evening. I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom Yamis. Tonight, President Trump, along with with close ally Elon Musk working to shut down the U.S. Agency for international development. Agency headquarters in Washington, D.C., blocked off with yellow police tape as personnel say they were told to stay home. It comes just days after Musk and the Department of Government of Efficiency that is also known as Doge gained access to sensitive data at the U.S. Treasury, including Social Security and Medicare payment systems. The White House confirming to NBC News tonight, Elon Musk is serving as a, quote, special government employee, which the Justice Department defines as anyone who works or is expected to work for the government for 130 days or less in a 365-day period.

Musk's latest move leading Democratic senator, Brian Schatz, to put a hold on Trump's State Department nominees. This could prevent a speedy vote for a nominee in the full Senate. So what does all of this mean for Musk and the government agency he planned? to focus on next. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell has the details and leads us off tonight. Tonight, this partnership of power under intense new scrutiny. President Trump and the world's richest man, Elon Musk, upending federal agencies to overhaul government and slash spending. The president acknowledged that Musk can get inside sensitive government computers like the Treasury Department payment system. Well, he's got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no

good if we agree with them. And it's only if we agree with them. The White House says in his role running the Department of Government Efficiency, Musk is designated as a special government employee with top secret security clearance. Elon can't do and won't do anything without our approval. And we'll give him the approval we're appropriate. We're not appropriate. We won't. A top Musk target? The U.S. Agency for International Development. He argues there is too much waste in its $42 billion budget. U.S. aid delivers food, medicine, vaccinations, and humanitarian support to 60 countries, help that is considered vital to U.S. national security.

Musk spoke on his ex-platform declaring the agency must be shut down. What we have here is not an apple with a worm in it, but we have actually just a ball of worms. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says core life-saving programs will not be frozen during 90-day review. These are not donor dollars. These are taxpayer dollars. So far, a lot of the people that work at USAID have just simply refused to cooperate. U.S. aid is authorized and funded by Congress. Today, Democratic lawmakers blasted the shutdown as illegal and dangerous. Gilan Musk did not create U.S. aid. He doesn't have the power to destroy it. We're going to stop him. U.S. aid workers told to stay home as many relief programs are halted. Our lives on the line

because of this. Lives have already been lost because of this. Former U.S. aid official Dr. Atul Gawande says the relief workers he knows are devastated. They're in fear for what this means for America, what this means for the people that they touch, and they're in fear for themselves. Fear is also rattling the FBI tonight. Eight top career officials fired Friday and a top official seeking names of agents who worked on January 6th cases. The FBI Agents Association in a statement described agents as extremely fearful of being removed and some started to pack up their desks. And Kelly joins us now from the White House. Kelly, all of this is happening as the Senate is considering President Trump's nominee for FBI director, Cash Patel.

Do your sources expect all of the back and forth over USA to impact his nomination? Well, certainly on the issue of the FBI, he has made a promise under oath before the committee. that has to approve his stepping to the next level next week. And he said that any FBI employees would be protected from any political retribution. That is certainly notable when within the FBI there are concerns about people being fired, and these are career employees. Also tonight, Senate Democrats on the committee that is reviewing the Patel nomination say they want answers on what's happening at the Department of Justice and the FBI, and they are determined to try to find out if there is.

is retribution taking place. Alison. Kelly O'Donnell, thank you. We're going to stick with the topic of U.S. aid and the possibility of it being on the chopping block because the government agency was established back in 1961 and provides billions of dollars in humanitarian aid to other countries. The fate of those aid recipients is now hanging in the balance as funding comes to a halt.

NBC's Valerie Castro has more on what the agency actually is and who is being impacted. Tonight, the future of the United States. United States Agency for International Development or U.S. AID is uncertain. USAID run by radical lunatics and we're getting them out and then we'll make a decision. The agency employs more than 10,000 people with about two-thirds serving overseas, according to a recent Congressional Research Service report. President John F. Kennedy created the organization as part of the Foreign Assistance Act of

1961 with the goal of administering aid to foreign countries to promote social and economic development at the height of the Cold War. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's futures and we are all mortal. Under the 11 presidents to follow, USAID has been instrumental in helping to alleviate poverty, disease and other crises in strategically important countries, according to a CRS report. In 2023, the agency managed and appropriated more than $40 billion in aid, with the largest sums going to Jordan, Ethiopia, and the top recipient, Ukraine. Ten NGO leaders in Ukraine telling Reuters they were left scrambling on Thursday after the U.S. suspended funding as the Trump administration urged staff in an internal memo to put America first.

We have not been able to pay salaries since January 24, says Ivana Kostina, co-founder of the Ukrainian NGO Veteran Hub. Quite a few people are coming in. They volunteer. In Afghanistan, USAID has allocated billions of dollars since 2001, providing humanitarian assistance like food and shelter, as well as agricultural and educational support, according to an archived version of its website. Aid groups warning that without USAID, securing schooling for girls will be an uphill battle. Since the Taliban takeover in 2021 blocked them from attention. school past sixth grade. The agency has also invested in countries like Moldova since the

collapse of the Soviet Union, helping to fund infrastructure projects, energy security initiatives, media platforms, democratic institutions and NGOs, according to the Associated Press. The director of the independent media platform Moldova.org

says many TV networks and outlets in her country are funded by Russia, so there needs to be a counterbalance. One plan appearing to survive, the pause in funding, the president's emergency plan for AIDS relief, the world's largest initiative to treat HIV. Secretary of State Marco Rubio allowing the effort to continue under a waiver for life-saving humanitarian aid, though unclear to what extent. Make no mistake. This effort by Elon Musk and so-called Doge to shut down the agency for

international development is an absolute gift to our adversaries, to Russia. to China, to Iran and others, because AID is an essential instrument of U.S. foreign policy and U.S. national security. Defenders of U.S. AID say shutting down the agency would diminish the United States' influence abroad. The agency's branding giving it high visibility and popularity around the world, letting countries receiving aid know exactly where the resources are coming from. Some Democratic lawmakers say shutting down U.S. AID would not only be a bad PR move, but could leave the U.S. vulnerable. You name it, AID is there in the fight against HIV, in the fight to protect the U.Gar population in China, in the fight to protect refugees, in the fight to make sure that there's food security everywhere. AID is there. It is the lead development agency in the world. and no one elected Elon Musk to dismantle it.

Valerie Castro, NBC News. For more on the impact of the potential closing of USAID or USAID, let's bring in Abby Maxman. She's the president and CEO of Oxfam America, a global NGO that works to fight inequality and in poverty and injustice. Abby, thank you so much for joining us tonight. I will just flag for viewers through some of our pieces you've heard. Some people refer to the agency as USAID. the official name. It's commonly called USAID. I've heard people say that when I've been abroad

on reporting trips overseas, but ultimately, whether they call it USAID, the official name or USAID, we're talking about the same thing. And you have said dismantling USAID would be callous, destructive, a political power play that would have deadly consequences for millions of people living in dire humanitarian emergencies and extreme poverty. Talk to me about what your immediate worry is if we do see this agency dismantled. Well, we're already seeing a huge, terrible set of impacts on people whose lives are dependent and on the support of the U.S. government and partners around the world who provide life-saving humanitarian aid and development assistance everywhere.

From Syria to Myanmar, to Sudan, to Ethiopia, people. are affected already by this move. And it really is cruel and callous and a political power play. It's doing harm to people who deserve better. How is it impacting Oxfam in particular? Because I understand the U.S. Oxfam arm doesn't receive funding from USAID, right? But Oxfam Global does also the nonprofits that Oxfam Global works with. Many of them do receive aid from USAID. Talk to me about how that works, and if there are any specific programs you can think of that would likely be impacted on the ground. Yeah, well, Oxfam is not reliant on U.S. government funding globally. However, all of our partners in the entire humanitarian and

development architecture really is supported by U.S. development assistance everywhere. So we have programs and partners in the Democratic Republic of Congo right now who are reliant on support. They are in — we have displaced populations who need clean water, access to food, access to basic medical assistance. And these programs are being jeopardized by the upending moves and the politically cruel moves that the administration has already put in place. And today's news is even worse.

It undermines the independence of the U.S. Agency for International Development. And it is a legally dubious set of actions, and Congress needs to take action. And this needs to be taken and challenged swiftly in the courts. Talk to me a little more about that. You said it is a legally dubious action. Is this something that Oxfam Global could end up trying to take to court, or do you see it as something that Congress needs to challenge first. Congress needs to challenge it, and all of us need to look at the levers that are appropriate

within our remit to challenge the U.S. government to do the right thing. The U.S. Agency for International Development was started. It's under the authority of Congress, and it is a questionable set of legal moves that is being upending an entire system that is really less than 1% of the U.S. U.S. budget globally, but it underpins about 42 percent of the humanitarian aid and development architecture and system. It is harmful. It is cruel. It's hurting people who have no voice in what's happening and who deserve much, much better. There are children, mothers, families affected already by this move, and we're going to see this get worse. This is going to create

a humanitarian disaster. What is your message tonight to President Trump and other officials in Washington that have the power to do something about this? Well, we're putting lives in jeopardy today and in the future. It's imperative that we don't put politics before people, and we think about our common humanity. I hope and trust that the sense and sensibilities of those in power will think about the commitments of the United States government, where we are a trusted, credible partner in global development

and providing humanitarian assistance to those who need it most. All right. Happy Maxim, Oxfam, U.S., thank you so much for being with us tonight. We really appreciate it. Thank you for having me. To our other major headline tonight, the U.S. reaching deals with both Mexico and Canada to delay tariffs on imports for one month in exchange for promises to help reinforce their borders with the United States. It comes after Trump's levies on some of America's biggest trade partners

rattled international markets, leaving leaders overseas wondering if their country might be next. NBC's senior business correspondent Christine Romans has the latest. Tonight, just hours before a trade war was set to commence, a partial step back from the brink. President Trump saying he'll delay 25% tariffs on Mexico because Mexico's president made concessions involving the border, including sending more soldiers to patrol for drugs and migrants. They've agreed to put in 10,000 soldiers permanently, like forever, 10,000 soldiers at their side of the border and stop fentanyl and illegal aliens from coming into our country. President Trump delaying the tariffs for 30 days while talks continue.

Mexico's president today saying, I'm sure in this month, we'll be able to give results. While late this afternoon, a 30-day delay on tariffs against Canada, too. After Canada's prime minister said he will also beef up border security following President Trump's tariff threat, including spending $1.3 billion reinforcing the border with 10,000 frontline personnel. President Trump posting, Canada has agreed to ensure we have a secure northern border and to finally end the deadly scourge of drugs like fentanyl that have been pouring into our country.

U.S. officials say 43 pounds of fentanyl were seized on the northern border last year, a relatively small amount compared to Mexico. Meanwhile, there's still a midnight deadline for 10% tariffs on China. If tariffs are imposed, economists warn they could hit the wallets of almost every American because these are our top trading partners. From Canada, the U.S. imports 4.2 million barrels of oil a day. Tariffs could add 15 to 25 cents to a gallon of gas. And with Mexico supplying 42% of auto parts imports, you could pay $3,000 more for a new car because of tariffs.

If tariffs last for several months, the Nonpartisan Tax Foundation estimates it could cost American households more than $800 this year. In Michigan, union auto worker Joseph Knowles voted for Trump and praises his tariff plans, saying they protect American businesses. It keeps company for taking businesses out of U.S. I believe that it's going to create more jobs, and I do believe that it's going to protect mines. But in California, Zach Davis co-owns six ice cream shops. He says tariffs would raise the prices on equipment, even sprinkles. It may mean that our business doesn't even make any money this year. Can you eat any of that cost increase or does it have to go to your customers?

So if the cost goes up 10 cents to put sprinkles on your ice cream cone, we cannot eat that cost. we will have to pass some of that along. And Christine joins us now in studio. Let's start with the stock market because when I woke up this morning, most people, it was just red, red, red, red, red. What were the impacts there and what do we expect to see in the coming days? And it was red, red, red, red, because so many people were concerned that you would have these tariffs go into effect.

And that would mean slower growth in the U.S. and higher prices for U.S. consumers and maybe for Canada and Mexico, too. And that was not a good combination for corporate profits. And that's what Wall Street stocks, that's what they measure, right? How much money these companies can make. But then it became clear that Donald Trump's threats had worked with Canada at least, Canada and Mexico both today. Mexico first, then Canada, second, saying, yes, they were going to be doing more on the border. And Trump pressed the pause button on those two big tranches of tariffs, at least for 30 days.

And that was enough for investors to say, okay, we're not going to have a trade war, at least not tonight. So since we saw the deals with Canada and old. So Mexico, do we think it's possible that there could be some sort of deal with China? And that's the big question. You know, first, President Trump used a tariff threat against Colombia, remember, to try to get them to take migrants back and repatriate on their soil. And that worked. And then you saw Mexico was the next one to say, yes, we will work harder on the border, 10,000 soldiers on the border to stop fentanyl migrants. And then Canada saying, by the way, Canada has a very small fentanyl problem on the border.

Any fentanyl problem is a problem in this country. question. This is definitely something that you want to attack. But, you know, Canada then saying we're going to spend all this money and have a fentanyl czar as well. So you started to see progress. Will Chinese leaders look at that and say, wait, if we can give the White House a win and say that we are working towards something, maybe that'll be enough to postpone those 10% extra tariffs that Canada faces in just hours, frankly. All right. We will keep an eye on China. Christine Romans, thank you. We also continue to follow the latest on that mid-air collision between an American Airlines plane and a Black Hawk helicopter. Reck removal beginning in the Potomac as the

Army Corps of Engineers works to recover the last of the victims who were on board. Senior aviation correspondent Tom Costello has this report. It was just before 10 a.m. when recovery teams managed to lift one of the American Eagle's engines out of the Potomac River. We transferred a debris from the water to have been here to on the a flotilla of boats, cranes, and divers working to raise pieces of the fuselage, the windows still visible, and recover the remains of the last 12 of the 67 people who died in that mid-air crash with an Army helicopter. New NTSB drone video shows the wreckage of both the plane and the Black Hawk resting in the Potomac. NTSP investigators are hoping the helicopter's

black box will reveal its altitude before the crash. Air traffic control radar indicated It was at 200 feet, the maximum allowed for choppers. But the plane's black box shows the crash happened at roughly 325 feet. There are all kinds of reasons that you could deviate from an altitude. You know, something as simple as a flock of birds is in front of you. Or you may deviate if you see something that's an obstacle or other threat to your flight. Like many control towers, Reagan National has struggled with understaffed, and overtime. On Wednesday night, five controllers were on duty, just one handling both plane and

helicopter traffic. They are stressed out, they're tapped out, they're overworked. That's no excuse. For years, Reagan's congested airspace has been a top safety concern, with planes and choppers flying just a few hundred feet apart. For now, the airspace is closed to all but police and Medevac helicopters. Captain Jason Ambrosey is the president of the airline pilot union. Is it time to separate out? helicopter traffic from regular passenger traffic here at Reagan Airport. Yeah, look, it's an ongoing investigation, but clearly we can see that helicopter traffic and airline traffic doesn't mix. On board the regional jet, 28 members of the U.S. figure skating community, most of them teenagers, parents, and coaches. Today, a moment of silence

at skating centers nationwide, including Wichita, site of last week's championships. We're expecting a readout tomorrow from the NTSB on the black box data from the helicopter. One challenge they have as they try to synchronize the cockpit voice on the flight data recorder is there was no time stamp on the black box data from the chopper. So that's taking extra time. And this entire process of lifting the wreckage up and out of the water could take several days. Alison, back to you. Next to an update on that deadly plane crash near a Philadelphia mall. Authorities today announcing the black box from that flight has been recovered.

Seven people were killed after an air ambulance crashed on Friday night, the number of injured now rising to 24. For more on the crash victims and the ongoing investigation, NBC News, Maya Eagland joins us from Philadelphia. Maya, talk to us first about the victims. What have we learned about the people who were impacted by this, both in the plane and in the Philadelphia community? Yeah, hey, Ellison. Well, we know that all six people on board that jet did die. They were from Mexico. There were four flight crew, two pilots, two medical professionals, and then an 11-year-old girl named Valentina. She was here from Mexico, spending time in Philadelphia to receive life-saving treatment with her mother. Unfortunately, less than a minute after their plane took off, it crashed right here on Cottonman Avenue behind me. There are still crews out here that are combing through some of the debris and this hole that officials say is eight feet deep into the ground from.

that impact site. We know that there was also one person on the street who was in their vehicle that also passed away. Officials today announcing that the number of people injured is now up to 24. There are two in critical condition and two in stable condition currently at the hospital. Ellison? I mean, the images from that night were hard to wrap your head around eight feet deep in a hole. I mean, that is a shocking visual that you just gave us there. Talk to us a little more about these black boxes, or the black box, rather, from this plane. What exactly are investigators hoping to find on it? Yeah, so because the control tower lost contact with this jet seconds after takeoff, they're hoping they might be able to find some of the last audio

recordings from inside the plane. The thing is that officials don't know the condition of those voice recordings. We know that they've been sent to Washington, D.C. for further investigation. little bit more insight into the final moments before the crash. But again, officials telling us it could take a few days, if not weeks, for all of this to really be figured out and for the public to know what exactly went wrong here. Alison? Maya Eaglin, thank you. Still ahead tonight, new allegations against the New Orleans Saints, how the football team's leaders allegedly worked closely with the Catholic Church to try and do damage control on a sex abuse scandal. Plus, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the border on his first official trip, but his visit

comes as NBC reports there are detained migrants being released back into the U.S. And the state becoming the first in the U.S. to ban AI chatbot deep seek on government devices. Will others follow suit? Stay with us. Top Story is just getting started this Monday night. out of New Orleans, just days before the city is set to host the Super Bowl. And newly obtained emails, members of the Saints' front office appear to have worked closely with the Catholic Church trying to do damage control as the Catholic Church was being investigated for allegations of sexual abuse. NBC's Marissa Para has the details.

As anticipation rose for this week's Super Bowl in New Orleans, the host city's team, the Saints, coming under new scrutiny for its alleged role providing damage control for the Catholic Church during a 2018 sex abuse crisis. Email exchanges obtained by the Associated Press, the New York Times and the Guardian, revealing the possible scope of the team leadership's influence. One of the reasons this story has taken so long is the degree with which the church has opposed full transparency. Jim Muschen is an investigative reporter for the AP, which has been investigating the New Orleans Archdiocese for years,

including in 2018 when the church released a credible accused clergy abuser list. We did some investigative reporting five years ago that revealed that the list itself was undercounted. According to the Associated Press, the email showed that a saint spokesperson was able to see that list of accused clergy members before it was made public and that a call with the city's top prosecutor, quote, allowed us to take certain people off the list. The Archdiocese of New Orleans telling NBC News in part, quote, no one from the Saints organization had, any role in compiling the list or had any say in adding or removing anyone from the list. This was not the Catholicism I was raised in. State Representative Mandy Landry represents Louisiana's District 91. I'm hearing from people all over the city, black, white, old young, who just can't

believe it. You know, the saints are beloved here. So this is really rocking all parts of the city, all people up and down. The emails also indicating the team's president, Dennis Laosha, provided prep questions for The Archbishop to be ready to answer in front of the reporters. According to the AP, the team's owner, Gail Benson, who's Catholic, has long enjoyed a close relationship with Archbishop Gregory Amund. NBC News has not seen emails, and the Saints have not independently responded to NBC News request for comment. But the team telling the Associated Press in part, quote, no member of the Saints organization condones or wants to cover up the abuse that occurred in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, that abuse occurred is a terrible fact. My son was sexually abused by a priest who is currently incarcerated here in Louisiana. For Letitia Payton, today's reporting marked a major step forward in shedding light on abuse,

but cast a shadow on a weekend that should have been about celebration. This added tragedy of the place where we thought we might be able to find a little bit of a refuge, maybe in the Super Bowl, we realized the saints were connected with all this trauma that happened to children. And Marissa Parra joins us now from our Southeast Bureau. Marissa, is it just the saints mentioned in this reporting or other organizations or other teams also accused? Alison, there are a lot of powerful people who were somehow named or included in this mass trove of emails, including a U.S. district judge, a local newspaper owner, a local talk show host. And there is still a lot of information that still has not seen the light of day in those yet unreleased church records. So there are journalists on the ground that are actively pursuing that information, including the one that we spoke to.

There are survivors who say that they are devastated, reliving trauma. They are still seeking justice. And then constituents, we're hearing from that Congresswoman that she's hearing kind of a mix of people saying, well, why can't we just enjoy football, rally behind the team and enjoy the Super Bowl, and others saying they are outraged and they want to see more accountability about all this. So still a lot of reaction and information yet to come, Alison, in the days ahead. Marissa Para, thank you. Not of the latest in the legal battle between It Inns with us co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.

Lawyers from both sides appearing for the first time in court today. This after Baldoni's team launched a new website over the weekend filled with documents and text messages allegedly between the actors. You'll recall this case started with Blake Lively's allegation of sexual harassment and a social media smear cane by Baldoni. Smear campaign by Baldoni and his production company claims Baldoni has denied suing Lively and the news. New York Times for their story on Lively's allegations. Following all of this for us, as NBC's entertainment correspondent, Chloe Malas, who joins us now in studio, Chloe, it's hard at times to keep up with everything, every little trickle of information, right?

It's like you're ping ponging between stuff. Start with this website that Justin Baldoni and his team have launched the text messages and documents there. What did we learn? So the purpose of this is for Justin Baldoni to try to vindicate himself by saying, see, I was nice in getting along with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. And that's sort of what this does show. But again, it's only one side here. He shows text messages and emails and documents. At one point, you see Ryan Reynolds say, hey, I've heard a lot of great things about you, Justin. I look forward

to working with you. But that doesn't mean that he didn't allegedly create a toxic and hostile work environment on the set of it ends with us. Remember, when Blake Lively filed that civil rights complaint in the state of California back in on December 20th. She said that Baldoni did things like walking into her trailer while she was breastfeeding unannounced, making comments about her weight to her trainer after she had just given birth a few weeks before and also unwanted touching and kissing during scenes when they were out of character or when he was talking out of character. And again, he's denied all of this and he's not only suing Blake lively and she's suing him and they had their first big face off in court today, he's also suing the New York Times

for defamation because they put out this whole story claiming that Blake Lively was the subject of a smear campaign by Baldoni's PR team. Talk to us about what happened in court today because they were both physically in the same room, right? No, okay. Okay, tell me how it went down. All right, so the attorneys were both there, but Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, they were nowhere near that courtroom but it was fiery between the two sides they're both pointing fingers at each other and Blake lively's team was really hoping that the judge was going to side with them and issue this blanket gag order on both sides preventing things like that website from continuing to put up more

information and from both sides continuing to talk about this but the judge said look y'all need to mind your peas and cues and just get along and if you can't figure this out and it keeps escalating publicly I'm going to move the court date up. So their trial date up, their trial date, I mean, they have a trial date set. That's how fast is escalating in a year, so a year from March. But now the judge saying, if y'all can't figure this out, I'm going to move it up. And I do want to say, you know, Blake Lively's legal team saying today that she's devastated

by how this is all playing out. And so it'll be interesting to see, though, Alison, if perhaps there is a resolution. How far are they really going to take this? Do you think there might be perhaps a settlement is what some people are. saying because this is getting really ugly and messy fast. Yes. Thank you. Coming up, the trash day blast caught on camera. What caused this garbage truck to explode in the middle of the street?

That story is next. Back now with Top Stories News Feed, starting with a new lawsuit alleging for the first time that people died because of the East Palestine train derailment. The new suit, which was made public exactly two years after the derailment, contained several wrongful death claims against Norfolk Southern Railroad, one of the victims allegedly a one-week-old baby. The suit also alleges the cleanup was botched and that officials failed to warn residents of health risks. Vice President J.D. Vance visited the small Ohio community today,

along with newly confirmed EPA head, Lee Zeldin. And Texas, becoming the first state debate. ban AI chatbot deep seek on government devices. Governor Greg Abbott signing the ban that also includes Chinese-owned social media apps like Lemon 8. Red Note, Abbott is saying that Texas will, quote, not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate the state's critical infrastructure. The restrictions coming after Deep Seek and Red Note gained popularity recently among American users. Overseas, a Ukrainian founder of a pro-Russia battalion killed in a Moscow apartment bombing. The paramilitary leader Armand Sarkisian and his bodyguard were killed in what is believed to be a targeted blast,

an explosive remotely detonating as he entered the complex with his bodyguards. The bodyguard died instantly while Sarkisian succumbed to the injuries in a hospital. He was wanted in Ukraine for allegedly aiding Russian forces. No group yet has taken responsibility for the apparent attack. And back here at home, two sanitation employees in Whitehall, Ohio, narrowly avoided serious injuries after an oxygen tank exploded in a garbage truck. The city shared this video on Facebook showing the moment of the blast. Debris and flames flying towards a worker after he emptied a trash can into the truck.

Workers rushing then to put out flames with a fire extinguisher. Luckily, no one was hurt. The city reminding people, oxygen tanks cannot be thrown out with the regular trash and need to be disposed of safely. Now to the southern border where Defense Secretary Pete Hegesath touched down today in his first visit since taking over the Pentagon. This as exclusive new reporting here at NBC reveals some of the migrants detained by immigration authorities under this current Trump administration have already been released and sent back into the country. NBC's Priscilla Thompson has the

latest from New Mexico. Leaving Washington for the first time since his confirmation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth headed to the U.S. southern border in New Mexico to shake hands with some of the 1,500 troops deployed by President Trump, who joined the 2,500 already in place under former President Biden. These troops aren't able to do enforcement, so what exactly are their day-to-day task? What they do is relieve Border Patrol and to have the opportunity to actually do the interdictions. They're calling in observation to Border Patrol who then interdict. It's a process that in the past, Tom was telling me, it might take 30 minutes.

The show of force, a part of a larger immigration crackdown, including military mass deportation flights and ice raids. Yet exclusive NBC News reporting shows that ICE has already released some migrants back into the United States, opting to use ankle monitors due to full beds and federal court orders that prohibit indefinite detention. We asked Bordersar Tom Holman about the releases. I'm not aware of that, but not you said that, I'll find out what happened. Over the weekend, the Department of Defense released this video, they say, shows Marines taking

off for Guantanamo Bay, preparing to house migrants. at a military site there. We are building out our capacity at Guantanamo Bay. Right now, that is where the worst are going. And across the country, from Chicago to Los Angeles, hundreds took to the streets to protest escalating immigration enforcement. As some businesses closed their doors, hoping to show what a country without immigrant labor might look like.

Without immigrants, we wouldn't have food to serve. So I think that's mainly like our point in doing that and showing people that like, This is how it would affect you and how it really does affect us all. And Priscilla joins us now from San Teresa, New Mexico. Priscilla, you mentioned the federal troops that have been sent by President Trump to the border. They cannot actually perform arrest, but I understand that is no longer true for the Texas National Guard. What can you tell us? That's right, Ellison.

Over the weekend, Texas granted its National Guard the power to make immigration arrest, but that is not a power that is granted to troops who are under federal authorities like the ones that the secretary met with today. Alison. Priscilla Thompson, thank you. Coming up, the latest on the ceasefire deal in the Middle East, negotiations for phase two were set to get underway as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit with President Trump. What we can expect from that visit. Stay with us. We're back now with Global Watch. Negotiations were slated to begin for phase two of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas today.

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to meet with President Trump at the White House tomorrow. For more on these developments, we're joined by NBC News chief international correspondent Keir Simmons from Tel Aviv. Kier, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, arriving in the United States Sunday. And as we mentioned, he is set to meet with President Trump tomorrow. What do we expect them to discuss? Well, here in Israel, it's viewed as a crucial meeting, maybe even a pivotal meeting. Bini Miesenya, who has said that one of the things he wants to discuss is that phase two. Phase two, Edison, is the moment when potentially this ceasefire becomes permanent.

It's also the stage at which all of the hostages, even the bodies of those who didn't make it, would be removed from Gaza, would be brought out from Gaza, but it is really, really challenging because every time that we've seen these handovers take place, we've also seen Hamas fighters displaying their weapons, their clean uniforms, and that, of course, is raising the question here whether the job is done, if you like, the way the Prime Minister Netanyahu described it. He suggested that Hamas would be destroyed, or maybe even at the very least, their capability removed. Hamas is trying to say, well, that hasn't happened. This is a fragile ceasefire.

What do we expect to see as it relates to the hostages? You touched on it some there, but I do want to remind people we did see the Israeli-American hostage Keith Siegel released last week. That was the first American hostage to be released since his wife in 2023. There are still some Americans being held hostage inside of Gaza, right? That's right. And actually, we heard from Keith Siegel's daughter, Shia, at a news conference, here today. She described his experience with Hamas. She said that it was the darkest and scariest

place. He barely saw daylight, she says. The family are furious that Hamas made Keith Siegel sign a document thanking them for the time that he was in captivity with them. We also heard from Keith Siegel's wife, Aviva, is the first time she'd spoken in a public forum like that at a news conference since Keith was freed, and she too was a captive, as well, remember, and then she was released and didn't see her husband for a year. She said she thanked President Trump from the bottom of her heart, and then she said something, again, back to your point, Alison, she said something that people hear, many of them, you know, view is incredibly important. She urged President Trump to ensure that all of the hostages are freed.

And Keir, we have also learned of an Israeli airstrike or a series of Israeli airstrikes in the West Bank. Talk to us about that. What do we know about those attacks as of now? Yeah, Palestinian officials say that 20 buildings have been leveled. The Israelis say that they have been targeting militants and their capabilities, including, for example, explosives, factories. So that's in the West Bank. That's separate from Gaza. It's another place where the Israelis say that they need to address the threat from militants, including Hamas militants.

But it's another example of how fragile this ceasefire is. What's happening in the West Bank has the potential to derail this ceasefire. Kier Simmons in Tel Aviv. Thank you. To Spain now, where the trial against the former head. of Spain's soccer federation is underway. Luis Rubiales is accused of sexually assaulting Spanish national team player Jenny Hermoso at the 23 World Cup final when he kissed her on the lips following the team's win. Ermoso testifying today, saying the moment, quote, stained one of the

happiest days of her life. The alleged assault sparking protest across Spain resulting in Rubiales' resignation as the Spanish soccer president. For more on this trial, we're joined by NBC news is international correspondent Megan Fitzgerald. Megan Hermoso in her testimony saying she did not consent to this kiss. And in her view, she felt coerced, right, to publicly exonerate him after this incident. What else did she say in court? Well, Alson, good to be with you. And you're absolutely right. I mean, we heard, quite frankly, a very candid speaking, Denny Hermoso when she was speaking to the Madrid High Court today, describing the moments when that kiss happened. Remember, she's coming off of this historic win, the women's team winning the World Cup.

She described the moment when Rubiozo grabbed her ears, pulled her in, and kissed her on the lips. Again, she said it wasn't consensual. She went on to say that this really tainted one of the most happiest moments of her life, as you mentioned. She said she felt disrespected. Again, the whole world watched this historic moment for the women's team. Never in history did the Spanish women's team ever win the World Cup. But instead of talking about that historic moment, the world was talking about this kiss. She then went on to say that on the aircraft, on the plane home, to Spain, she says that Rubialis

tried to coerce her into doing a video with him because social media was attacking him for assaulting her. And she said that that was something that she refused to do. Now, prosecutors in this case are calling on the judge to sentence him to 2.5, 2 and a half years in prison, certainly if he is convicted, Ellison. And Megan, what comes next in this trial? Could we see a verdict soon? Yeah, so, you know, what we're looking at here is a roughly two-week trial. We know that this is the week that the prosecution is going to be presenting their case. Of course, earlier today, you know, we heard from Jenny Hermoso next week. We're expecting to hear from Ruby Alice. And then this case is expected to wrap up around two weeks from now. But remember, we're going to be hearing from around

witnesses that are going to be called to the stand. And this is also a trial where other members of the Soccer Federation are on trial as well. In fact, I want to read for you just some of the titles here. We're talking about the former Spain women's national team coach. We're talking about the former sports director of Spain's men's team, along with the Federation's former head of marketing. All of them are accused of trying to put pressure on Hermosa. Alison? Megan Fitzgerald, thank you. When we come back, brain chip breakthrough, the tiny piece of technology now helping a paralyzed man move again. The groundbreaking procedure and the research behind it. Next.

Finally tonight, a revolutionary new treatment for people who are paralyzed. One man who is paralyzed from the chest down becoming the first person to receive it. Now he has the ability not only to move, but to feel. NBC News correspondent Sam Brock has this remarkable story. years, Keith Thomas lived out his dream in Manhattan, managing hundreds of people for a Wall Street firm and few worries wang him down. Where did you like to do? Play tennis, go jogging on these fairbair. But a Long Island pool accident in 2020 changed his whole life, paralyzing the 45-year-old from the mid-chest down and robbing him of sensation and movement in all of his limbs,

at least. Until a medical breakthrough at Northwell Health. Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, where lead bioengineer Chad Bouten and his team developed a technology, they call it double neural bypass. Chips are implanted in a patient's brain and the signals for sensation and movement sent back and interpreted through artificial intelligence and then redirected to the body and spine creating a loop that could prove life-changing. Taking someone who had lost the ability to move their limbs, to sense or touch things and actually feel the sensation of that, to restore those abilities. to the patient.

Yes, that's exactly right. We have finally discovered that the signals in the brain are still there and strong, even after traumatic injury. Other neuro-technology companies, like Elon Musk's Neurrelink, have implanted chips in patients to assist functionality, but recovery and restoring damaged neurons appears to be new ground. Is it wild to you to think that you have become the first person to sort of blaze this path and show that's possible? Yeah.

We watched as Keith managed movements that only months ago would have been impossible. That's actually sensory data. From picking up a cup. What are you feeling, Keith? Like a joltive energy. To navigating a quick bite of Twizzlers. Got it. Wow.

Last year, surgeons managed to place those chips in Keith's brain in areas that they spent months mapping out. Pull. Leading to incremental improvements. And then a watershed moment. I'm ready. When Keith actually felt his sister's palms, his sister's palm for the first time since the accident. That was an incredible moment, and there wasn't a dry eye in the lab.

And with 5 million people living in the U.S. with paralysis and 100 million worldwide, the significance is hard to overstate. It really hit me. In that moment, I felt like he's experiencing something he hadn't experienced in a long time and that there's hope. There's hope for the future. In the midst of a lot of misfortune, do you feel pretty fortunate? Yeah, I do feel pretty fortunate.

A story whose next chapter is only beginning to be told. Sam Brock, NBC News, Long Island. Thanks so much for watching, Top Story. In New York, I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom Yamis. Stay right there. More news is on the way.