Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, January 16, 2023

Episode Date: January 17, 2023

California is emerging from a "parade of storms" with recovery efforts across a ravaged state, Democratic allies grow frustrated with the White House response to Biden's classified documents, an Indiana toddler was caught on camera brandishing a loaded gun at an apartment complex, people with diabetes struggle to find Ozempic as it soars in popularity as a weight loss aid, and WNBA legend Maya Moore retires.

Tonight, disaster on the West Coast, California battered with another round of devastating storms. Heavy rain triggering flash floods across the state, thousands still under evacuation orders, as mudslides send homes toppling, roads crumbling into the sea. The damage now topping $1 billion, our team live in the storm zone as this system heads east, where this storm is expected to bring severe weather and even tornadoes. Next, also out west residents furious over a growing up. water crisis in Arizona. The water supply to one community completely cut off, how the city is explaining the decision to leave them high and dry. Turning on Biden, the growing backlash from

Democrats tonight about those classified documents found at Biden's private office and in his Delaware home, a third batch discovered over the weekend, how members of Biden's own party are reacting to the news, and what this could mean for a possible run in 2024. In the wrong hands, the shocking video out of Indiana, a toddler, waving a gun while wandering outside his apartment. All of it captured on live TV. The charges his father is now facing. Final moments, the chilling video shot inside of a passenger plane, just moments before it came crashing down in Nepal. 72 people on board at the time. Tonight, no signs of survivors. The international investigation now underway and the chilling detail about the co-pilot we've just learned. Plus, the dramatic rescue

efforts in Ukraine after an apartment building was leveled by a Russian missile. Officials now blasting that attack as a possible war crime. And the so-called miracle drug sparking debate in the medical community. Some doctors prescribing the diabetes drug, Ozempig, to people looking to lose weight. But is that practice keeping the drug out of the hands of those who need it the most? What doctors and patients are saying tonight. Top story. Starts right now. And good evening. Tonight, after a grueling three weeks, California getting slammed with yet another severe weather system, already roughly $1 billion worth of damage done. The president approving a major disaster declaration sending federal aid to the state, but not before this winter wallup takes one final swing. This time, Southern California in the bull's eye, take a look. The San Diego River at its highest level since 2020, cars flooded up to their windows.

People waiting through knee-deep water with their belongings. You can see a family there. In Montecito, a road crumbling just feet away from this woman. Take a look at this. Wow. She was walking right by the cliffside, giving way after days of relentless rain. And in northern California, officials warning the oversaturated ground could give way at any moment. This landslide in Berkeley triggering evacuation orders for nearby residents. The system now barreling east, bringing with it the threat of severe weather and possible tornadoes.

You can see them right there. Bill Carrant standing by the time, it all out for us. but we begin first with NBC News National Correspondent, Miguel Almaguer. He's in Santa Cruz County in Northern California. Now, Miguel, we know the rain has let up a little there, but just behind you, over your right shoulder there, where you can see that landslide. Yeah, that's right, Tom.

That's Highway 9 behind me. The road is completely shut down, and what you're seeing here is actually playing out in communities all along California from coastal areas to the mountains. The damage here, Tom, has now been done. Witnessing Darwin. What's right here? Oh, my God.

Get away. Tonight, this is California's catastrophe. A waterlog state where roads and hills are buckling, breaking, and busting into pieces, a state of emergency, and for many, a state of shock. Within a matter of minutes, it just started flooding. Battered today by its 10th storm in two and a half weeks. It's like a freaking monsoon out there. The golden state, a soggy one, and now the death toll rising to at least 20, as thousands remain under evacuation orders.

This used to be a 50-year flood zone, and now it's a three-to-five-year flood zone. The dumping deluge swept away motorists, submerged neighborhoods, and left behind an astonishing trail of destruction. Oh, my gosh. Mark Whitcomb was flooded three times in January. This mud came in really heavy during the last, last. We poured in about two feet inside the house, so this will be a lot of work to dig out. With over 400 landslides in just under three weeks, roads and highways are compromised. Now that the White House has declared a disaster declaration, cities and counties across California will begin to assess the damage and the repairs.

Experts believe the damage to infrastructure could easily top a billion dollars and take months to fix. Just as millions begin to dig out, the Sierras are being buried. But tonight is this devastating series of storms finally begins to clear. It's now giving way to an unprecedented view of destruction. And Miguel Amigerr joins us again live. Miguel, we saw some of those roads there and obviously what's behind you. A lot of impassable roads there. Is it completely widespread or are there ways to get around tonight?

Well, Tom, in this community, there's a way to get around, but it's a long detour. I want to show you some drone video we took of Highway 9 here behind me. It shows the hillside that just crumbled and collapsed right on the road behind me. That road could be jeopardized and unstable. It's going to take Caltrans, the local roadworks crew out here, several days to figure that out. The repairs here will likely take months. And just to clear this road, it'll likely be in the millions, Tom. Yeah, I've got to imagine some communities are now being covered.

cut off because of all these road closures. I do want to ask you about the power outages as well. Well, Tom, there's about 40,000 people that are without power. That number has been fluctuating all day long at its peak here in California during some of these storms. We've had hundreds of thousands of people without power. Those down power lines have come from so many oftentimes from trees that have come down, fallen trees have also pierced apart homes. They've even taken lives. It's a situation here in terms of the power that they're continuing to address community by community. Tom. Yeah, a tricky and dangerous situation still at this hour. Miguel, you and your team, please stay safe.

We do want to check in now with NBC News meteorologist Bill Carrens, who joins me now live in studio, Bill. We're starting this week, almost the same way we started last week. And the big question tonight, I guess, is when is this going to end? It doesn't take much, right? Today wasn't even a major storm. I mean, it was kind of a minor storm, but everything is so soggy and so wet. It only takes one little event like this, and then we can see what we just saw behind Miguel. So we still have the flash flood watches up. These will expire later on tonight, And then we'll probably have new ones issued for the storm coming in Wednesday, Thursday.

Yes, one more. And then we get our break and dry things out. And all these little red maroon boxes here, these are where we have river flood warnings, a couple outside of San Diego. We've had these here outside of Monterey and Santa Cruz County for a while now, and also a few outside of San Francisco near San Jose. So this storm that went through today even brought some lightning in areas to the desert areas just south of Las Vegas, still snowing very hard.

And you want to hear a crazy stat? Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth Lakes, famous ski area, 440 inches of snow so far this season. That's unimaginable. Wow, that's wild. If you're a skier, I'm sure you love it, but that is sort of crazy. So I want to ask you about this next system, and I know we're tracking a couple storms as they move east, and even the threat of possible tornadoes. Yeah, I mean, everyone remembers last week where it happened in Alabama and areas of Georgia and Kentucky.

So this storm is going to take a track a little more to the north. So I'm not as concerned about a tornado outbreak. But I fast forward this to 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Notice all the bright red here. These are thunderstorms. So this is going to be a Wednesday afternoon, Wednesday evening event for areas of the south. We're most concerned with East Texas, Louisiana, northern half of the state, not New Orleans, areas of southern Arkansas and also into Mississippi, isolated tornadoes, wind damage with those storms. And then the cold side of that storm, this is going to be quite the winter event. Yes, we are in the middle of winter. We haven't talked about snow hardly at all. But Denver is under a winter storm warning, and eventually this snow will go from Denver all the way to areas of Milwaukee with a snow storm. and a lot of kids getting a day off of school come Wednesday and Thursday.

Okay, Bill Cairns, I predict a lot of top story time in your future with all these storms. Thanks so much for tonight. While thousands are facing floods, others in the Southwest are desperate for water. Tonight, one community outside of Phoenix furious after get this being cut off from its city's water supply. Residents in the real Verger foothills now doing everything to bring back water to their homes, as others start to question why developers continue to build homes on dry land. NBC's Vaughn Hilliard has more. Tonight a water crisis in Arizona, its thousands of residents are about to be left without water.

The water war hitting those in the Rio Verdi foothills, a small but fast growing area just west of Scottsdale. Two weeks ago, the city of Scottsdale stopped the transportation of water, making good on a year's worth of warnings that the municipal water supply was running dry. About 500 homes, including some mid-construction, now counting down the days until their water runs out. because it's it's now we need water now we can't wait last week real verde residents taking their fight from the steps of city hall to the first meeting of the year for the scottesdale city council it is not too late to do the right thing within a matter of days our water tanks at our homes will be dry but this is avoidable we just need scottesdale to process that water scotsdale had been warning residents at the supply of water brought in by tankers could be cut off noting developers of Rio Verdi bypass the state law, which on the books would have required them to prove a guaranteed supply of water for the next 100 years. But the supply of water in the greater area continues to drop, a decades-long drought, depleted groundwater sources and reservoirs at record lows, leaving Rio Verde Foothills, an unincorporated town without its own supply of water high and dry. Rio Verdi residents filed the lawsuit against Scottsdale last week, saying the city violates state law. providing domestic water services to the town.

Now, only days away from being left out to dry, residents are doing what they can to conserve the little water they have left. I just cannot believe that a group of people would look at their neighbors and say, we're going to slowly kill off your community. All right, Vaughn Hillier joins us now in studio. So, Vaughn, we know that the municipal water supply is cut. Is the city doing anything to help these families? Right, that's where now the city and these residents are looking outside of Scottsdale.

where the hard truths about the costs of water come in. All of this ultimately factors in to the cost of the water for these residents. You're talking about these tanks, these water tankers, having to drive even further out to other cities. And that adds cost because of the transportation to bring it back. And it's not just about this particular community, but it's also about the future ones. You know, you're talking about housing demand in the Phoenix area right now. And a new project just broke around three months ago to build 100,000 new homes. Well, the governor just released a report just this week. that there's an inadequate water supply over the decades ahead to sustain that future development.

So it's not just about the future, but it's about the current residents here of Arizona and whether there is water to truly sustain the greater Phoenix area. Yeah, well, I want to go back to something in your report, and you're from Arizona. It's one of the reasons why I wanted you to do the story. I don't know if this is normal, but how did that development even get built if they weren't sure there was going to be enough water? Right. They bypassed a state law that is on the book saying that you have to prove that you have a 100-year

water supply. And the developers of that new project that I'm talking about, they also proved it. But what they're coming to realize is that the reservoirs, as they continue to go down, groundwater continues to be depleted largely because of the demand from agriculture, is that the water that they thought is available is not there going forward into the future. And so that is where there's talks about moratorium on building into the future, but also, should there be farming in the greater Phoenix area? You're talking about more than 50% of water going to agriculture here. When you're looking at the lands. it's just tough to try to sustain a city there in the middle of the Sonoran Desert.

Is this a problem that you remember growing up with or is this something new? This has become urgently more of concern. Growing up, we always heard about water. Turn off the faucet right after you finish washing your hands. When you're brushing your teeth, turn off the water there. But now you're talking about literally residents not being able to flush their toilets. This is something that I never experienced with. And we were thinking it would be decades away.

We're talking about this all happening right now. Okay, and we're going to stay on top of this. going to stay on top of this. I know you will as well. Von Hilliard, we appreciate that. Next tonight, we turn to politics and we head to Washington where there are growing demands for answers about those classified documents found in President Biden's former office and Delaware home. This after the White House admitted that five additional pages of classified material were just found at the President's Delaware home. Monica Alba is at the White House with the latest. Tonight, President Biden publicly silent about the special counsel's investigation into his

handling of classified material. How do you think that the classified documents got into your boxes? Ignoring reporters' questions for a fourth straight day, while privately expressing frustration with the growing backlash, according to three sources familiar with the matter. It comes, as the White House revealed this weekend, additional pages of classified documents were discovered inside the president's Delaware home. So far, the total number of classified records recovered is unclear, with about a dozen identified at Mr. Biden's private office, including sources tell NBC News, at least one document

marked top secret, followed by two batches discovered at the Wilmington residents, including inside the garage. None of those sites are approved to store sensitive government material. The White House now facing intensifying criticism about a lack of transparency. The first classified documents were discovered by Biden attorneys a week before the midterms, but the public was not told until just last week, only following media reports. The truth is that they suppressed the information before the election so that it would not have impact during the election. The stench of hypocrisy coming from this administration is making the American people sick.

The president's personal attorney insisting they cannot release certain details, quote, relevant to the investigation while it is ongoing. The White House has pledged to cooperate with the special counsel, noting differences in volume and response to the classified records found at former President Trump's Mar-Lago estate. But some Democrats saying national security may have been jeopardized by where Mr. Biden was storing classified documents. I don't think we can exclude the possibility without knowing more of the facts. All right, Monica Alba joins us from the White House tonight.

Monica, what does the president's week ahead look like? And I ask because I'm sure he's going to be peppered with questions all week until we get satisfactory answers. You can guarantee it, Tom. Tomorrow, the president will host the Prime Minister of the Netherlands for a bilateral meeting. And then he'll honor the world champion Golden State Warriors later in the day. On Friday, he'll gather with a group of bipartisan mayors here at the White House. So several opportunities for the president to continue to react to the document saga.

And as the press presses him for answers, so are House Republicans. We know in a letter to the White House, Chief of Staff Ron Clayne on Sunday. The new House Oversight Committee Chairman, Representative James Comer requested. visitor logs from the Biden's Wilmington residents. What more do we know about this tonight? That's right. House Republicans did ask for that, but the White House says those visitor logs simply do not exist. Secret Service does background checks on those who come and go, but they don't keep those records long term a standard practice for presidents in their personal homes. Tom? All right. Monica, Alba for us tonight here on Top Story. Monica, thank you for more on

Biden's classified documents, controversy, and the growing backlash from Democrats. I want to bring senior political correspondent for Puck News, Tara Palmary. Tara, you know, how bad of a problem is this? And I asked that just because we had this moment on News Now earlier with Kristen Welker on Meet the Press Now, and Representative Clyburn, here's what they had to say. Do you think that the White House has been transparent enough, or do you worry that this undercuts President Biden

at a critical moment when he's deciding whether to run for re-election? Well, there's no question. And the reporting of all this undercuts all of our credibility as Democrats when it comes to this kind of an issue. Yes. So you have Representative Clyburn there, the Kingmaker, during the last go-around in the primaries, criticizing President Biden. We heard Adam Schiff over the weekend as well. I have to ask you, do you think Democrats are truly upset about this?

And are they're worried that this is going to carry over in a 2024? Absolutely. I mean, I think they're extremely agitated, especially with the way that the information is being released. It seems like it's a bit of a drip-drip, right? Monday, Friday, Saturday, three days, more documents every single day. And I think with the Corvette and the boxes in the garage, I mean, you can't have to spend. It's a bad look, no doubt. Yeah, exactly. And they spent months belaboring the point that, you know, the Trump administration was reckless. Trump was not careful with classified documents, the stakes of mishandling classified documents,

what it can do to our assets, to our intelligence. And so I think to have been surrogates for the Biden administration and attacking Trump for all those months to now have to like sort of downplay the crime, I mean, no one wants to seem like a political hack, right? So I think at some point they have to acknowledge, okay, the thing that we've been talking about for months does matter. Obviously, the crimes are different, or not crimes, but the situations are different. So, you know, it just puts, it's hard because in politics, it's all about sound bites, clipping it for an ad.

Perception. If you're on defense, you're not winning. Right. Now, it's a good point. Another piece of sound, Republicans obviously smell blood in the water. This is the House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer. He issued a letter to wrong claim, asking for the visitor logs. He also spoke over the weekend. Let's take a listen to that. Why didn't we hear about this on November 2nd? when the first batch of classified documents were discovered. Remember, they were quick to call for special counsel prior to the midterm elections, and Joe Biden used as his closing argument during the midterm elections

that Republicans were a threat to democracy, and he cited the fact that President Trump mishandled the documents. While he was doing this, he knew very well that he himself had possession of classified document. Look, Republicans aren't going to let this go, obviously, for good reason. But there are aspects of this that don't pass the smell test. Do you think this starts to affect also the FBI and the Department of Justice eventually under Merrick Garland? I do wonder. I think that's why he immediately appointed a special counsel to sort of insulate himself from that.

And what I had heard from lawmakers, they were really disappointed about this because they thought that Jack Smith, the special counsel, was investigating Donald Trump, was getting very close to an indictment on the mishandling of documents, right? It's a pretty clear-cut case. you know, proving that someone incited an insurrection, not as easy as saying you had classified documents, you didn't hand them over. And so now... Or you delayed an investigation because of an election, right? Exactly. And so this, you know, it's a much more difficult case. We want our, you know, Justice Department to be insulated from politics, but the truth is that it's hard to argue that, right? You have some reporting. We'll put it up on the screen now from Puck about Robert

Her, the special counsel. You were just mentioning it. It's titled Robert Hurst Fear Factor. And a former colleague of her told you that he should scare the blank out of people. What are you hearing from your sources about this man and what the Biden White House should be afraid of? Well, I've heard that he's tough as nails and that one of his former colleagues said that they've seen people in depositions for getting their stories by the end of it because he's really, really tough. So I think that helps with his credibility because, of course, Republicans may try to attack him and say he's a partisan hack, but he was appointed by Donald Trump, right, be, I think it was a attorney,

U.S. Attorney in Maryland. He also worked for Rod Rosenstein and appointee under Donald Trump, Christopher Ray. I think he's got allies on both sides of the aisle. But I think that the White House should be concerned as well. I think that this guy is truly tough. He wants to, you know, every prosecutor wants to win and prove their case. And sometimes special counsels uncover things that weren't even what they were first investigating because they find a paper trail and they find and they follow it.

How does this affect Democrats, right? because I guess all the Democrats that are waiting to possibly run for president are waiting for President Biden to make his announcement. This obviously delays the process a little bit. At some point, he has to fish or cut bait because we're getting closer and closer to the summer. And by the fall, obviously, your campaign has to be in full mode. Right. I think definitely the announcement of his reelection has been delayed. We thought that it might come before the State of the Union, but it doesn't seem like that's going to happen. I think that for Joe Biden, the great contrast, that he was trying to draw with Trump, who may be the nominee for,

the GOP, is that we're the adults, we're transparent, we're above board, and then you see that they had been holding on this information since before the November election. So it's really difficult to draw a contrast with the former president by saying, you know, we're transparent and we're above board, but in fact, they were not. So I think this does create a crack, or an opening at least, for some Democratic challengers who may want to say, this is too messy, we need a new direction. It's not just Biden's age, which has always been the story. There's actually some sort of, you know, lack of transparency. And obviously it could be a long two years before 2024 for Joe Biden. Okay, Tara Palm, Mary, always love having you. Thank you so much.

Yeah, we turned out to some disturbing video of a toddler, and it's even hard to report this, brandishing a loaded gun outside of his Indiana apartment, the scene and the rest of his father playing out on live TV during a reality show following police on patrol. It's just the latest incident that has parents worried about children's safety at home and in school. NBC News correspondent, at Maggie Vespa has this one. Tonight, another disturbing example of young children carrying deadly firepower. This time, shocking video of a toddler wielding a gun in Indiana. A neighbor's ring camera capturing the young boy waving what appears to be a gun

and pulling the trigger multiple times. Before he walks back into his apartment, saying mommy. The heart-stopping. air playing out on Reels Show on Patrol Live, a reality program following police when they were called to the scene. Officers at one point asking the child where he put the weapon. Where'd you put down that toy? Then searching for the gun. Control Beach Hill 36. You're going to fire on for me. The police incident report later confirming it was loaded. Officers arresting the child's father, Shane Osborne, for neglect of a dependent.

NBC News reached out to Osborne. So far, no response. In the video, he said the gun wasn't his. I've never brought gun in this house. Something police have not confirmed. This just the latest incident of a minor brandishing a firearm, happening only days after a Virginia six-year-old shot his teacher on school grounds. The round went through her hand, exited the rear of her hand and into her upper chest. In a virtual town hall, officials say at least one administrator knew the student may have had a weapon on him

and searched his backpack but didn't prevent the shooting. According to police, the gun was legally purchased by the shooter's mother. They're looking into whether it was properly secured and haven't ruled out charges. If the teachers don't believe they're being heard and the students and the teachers don't feel they're safe, they can't teach and they can't learn. The district taking steps to try and ease fears. Walk through metal detectors will be in place and used for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors. School there remaining closed for a second week. Advocates argue the incidents highlight a widespread risk. Nationwide, the number of school shootings per year has risen steadily since 2010 with a sharp spike in 2021, the last full year for which data was available. You guys need to be responsible. That fear boiling over at a Kentucky school board meeting. Parents outraged that a 14-year-old who allegedly posted online death threats against classmates and teachers last October is now returning.

to school. Desperate pleas to overturn that decision. Whatever help he has gotten, he is still a threat to be in an environment which fostered him to want to do a match shooting and make a list of our students. This man saying his child was on the hit list. All I could think about was my child in danger when they did nothing wrong. The teen has been charged with second-degree terroristic threats. The status of those charges is unclear at this time. Just another case in a country struggling to keep schools and kids safe. And all these cases are so troubling. Maggie Vespa joins Top Story Live tonight.

So Maggie, I want to ask you about that case in Indiana. You started your report with that toddler waving around a loaded gun from your reporting. It's hard to watch. I understand now that the little boy's mother spoke to our affiliate. What did she say? What do we know now? Yeah, Tom, so she called her affiliate. at defending her husband, frankly, defending the boy's father tied to the video and saying

that her husband is ill. And as you know, it's a rarity to hear from the parents in these cases because given the age of the kids that we're talking about, minors, they're not identified in cases like this. So we often don't know who the parents are. But again, keep in mind in this case, we heard from mom because it seems that dad has now been charged. And again, she defended him. In the case of the Virginia six-year-old, again, police are also weighing criminal charges there. if we hear more from their side of the story as well. Okay, Maggie Vespa, Maggie, thank you for that. We want to turn now to a wild story about mistaken identity,

a Philadelphia woman accused of a crime in Texas, even though she says she's never even been to the state. Authorities comparing her social media account to a surveillance photo saying she resembled the suspect and had the same name. She spent six days in jail because of that, and now authorities are blaming each other. George Solis has this one. We love you, Julie.

Most reunions are caused for celebration, but for Julie Hudson. This one came after being wrongfully jailed for nearly a week after a shock in case of mistaken identity. I had a lot of anxiety. I was scared. I didn't know what I was going to do. It felt like it wasn't going to end. The 31-year-old Ph.D. student accused of shoplifting more than 1,500 miles away in Webster, Texas. When you know that you didn't do anything wrong, and it makes you.

so crazy. Back in May, authorities in Webster mistakenly linked her to a sporting goods store shoplifting case. According to NBC Houston's affiliate, police say the suspect seen in this surveillance photo is also named Julie Hudson. Investigators found a Julie Hudson in Philadelphia on social media and determined the two were a match, even though they are two different people. They even convinced a judge to issue a warrant for the Philadelphia Hudson's arrest. Did look. to multiple different people, not just within our agency, but also with the district attorney's office. How do you go from a photo on social media to an arrest warrant? It may surprise some people to learn that when the police accidentally arrest the wrong person, they may not be

civilly liable as long as their mistaken belief was reasonable under the circumstances. Hudson says she only found out she had an outstanding warrant because it was preventing her from getting jobs. When she went to police to set the record straight, she was arrested immediately, taken into custody. Her demeanor was distraught and traumatized. Her family spent days reaching out to authorities and the media in both cities. Six days later, she was finally released, according to Texas Harris County DA and her family. But the damage was already done. Philly's DA offering an apology on behalf of law enforcement, but also pointing the finger of blame at Texas authorities. I certainly hope and I trust that Texas will take a serious look at what

it did in this case. In a statement, the Harris County DA said in part, we accept the charges based on the sworn evidence presented to us by law enforcement. Webster police notified the court of the error. We dismissed the case within five minutes and immediately contacted Philadelphia police to release our hold on Ms. Hudson. The Webster police telling Houston's KPRC, who arrest was an unfortunate mistake. Ms. Hudson may bring a number of other states. state-based claims like false imprisonment, she might have a case. But it's always really hard to sue the police, even when they make a big mistake like this. Julie Hudson still has questions and apologies may not be enough. I want to find out what happened. I want to find out how this

happened and I wanted to not help in to anyone else ever again. Okay, George Salis joins us now from Philadelphia. So George, I guess two questions here. First, is she going to take legal action? And what is the police department saying tonight? Yeah, Tom, as you heard Danny allude there, she might have a case despite how challenging to that. And the family says they are considering legal action, but they have not made any other details specifically. Now, we did reach out to the Webster Police Department,

but so far we have not heard back. And we should note that suspect in this case, the one that sort of spearheaded all of this, as far as we know, she has not been taken into custody yet. Tom? Okay, the story continues there. George, we thank you for that. ahead tonight. We'll have a big update on that deadly plane crash in Nepal, video showing the

final moments of that flight before it went down. What investigators have just recovered from the scene of that disaster. Plus, two popular drugs used for weight loss, now in short supply around the U.S. This has doctors warned of unwanted side effects. The new information you need to know tonight. And WNBA legend Maya Moore announcing her retirement, what's next for the basketball star? Stay with us. Top Story, just getting started on this Monday night. All right, we are back now with that deadly plane crash in Nepal. Investigators have recovered the black boxes that were on the aircraft with 72 people on board. Molly Hunter tonight with details and the chilling video from just before that accident.

Tonight, the first clues investigators are on the scene trying to understand what brought down Yeti Flight 691, just seconds before it was scheduled to land. The cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder have now been recovered intact. Sunday's flight in the Himalayan nation of Nepal was supposed to be a routine trip, just 27 minutes from the capital, Kathmandu, to the popular tourist destination of Pakara. On board, 72 people, including 15 foreign nationals. And authorities say tonight, there are no signs of survivors. Investigators will also analyze video, this Facebook live stream,

recording the plane coming into land, all appears normal. And this video, taken from a rooftop, the twin engine ATR 72, banking hard to the left, rolling 90 degrees, then flying out of shot, then you hear the terrifying impact. Experts citing the possibility of an aerodynamic stall when a plane suddenly flies too slowly and loses its lift. In this case, they're going to have to determine why that airplane was flying so, slope and also to see if they had the airplane properly configured. Wind could be an environmental factor that must be examined as well. The co-pilot was a veteran of the route,

according to Reuters. Andrew Kettawada joined Nepal's Yeti Airlines in 2010 after her husband, also a pilot, died in a plane crash in 2006. Investigators will also look at the aircraft itself, just 15 years old, French made, used frequently for regional flights. And to night, French investigators confirmed they're headed to Nepal to join the investigation. Molly Hunter, NBC News. Back here at home now to that terrifying close call on the runway at JFK. Both the FAA and NTSB are investigating how an American airline's flight apparently cut across the runway just as a Delta airliner were starting its takeoff.

NBC's Tom Costella with the audio from air traffic controllers as disaster was narrowly avoided. At first, the radio conversation sounded routine. left 15 on. All right. Left second. All right. Delta Airlines 737 cleared for departure. But seconds later, controllers saw an American Airlines triple seven instructed to taxi across a different runway, suddenly cutting right across the path of the Delta jet.

Controllers urgently ordered both planes to stop. Delta 1943 canceled takeout plans. Delta 1943 canceled takeoff plans. Rejecting. American L0-160-heavy, America-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-6-heavy, hold position. The Delta jet traveling at 115 miles per hour was just seconds from impact. Slamming on the brakes, it stopped a thousand feet short of the American plane.

Oh, the Delta, nice of your first. Passenger Brian Healy was on the Delta flight. I felt then adrenaline, and there was total quiet on the plane, and then there was relief when the plane came to a stop. Where was the miscommunication between the American crew and the air traffic controllers? A very close call that reminds some experts of the horrific runway crash in 1977 involving two fully loaded 747s in Tenerife that killed 583 people and led to an overhaul of runway and radio protocols. Today, runway status lights and automated warning systems alert pilots and controllers of potential conflicts. Retired JFK controller, Steve Abraham, says this time, thankfully, the system worked just in time.

There was no chance that the Delta airplane would have lifted off the runway and been able to overfly the American jet if they had been in the same spot on the runway at the same time. Anytime a vehicle or a plane is in the wrong position on a runway, there's the potential for what's called a runway incursion. Last year, there were 1,700 nationwide. Most are minor. But this is a serious case. Delta says it's Kewan. operating with the investigation, American Airlines is referring all questions to the FAA. Tom? Okay, Tom Costello for us, when we come back from triumph to tragedy, a UGA football player killed just hours after celebrating the team's national championship win, what police are now saying about an accident. Stay with us. All right, we're back now with Top Stories News Feed, officials in Goshen, California, with an urgent

manhunt tonight after at least six people were killed and what police are calling a targeted shooting. Authorities saying three victims were found outside of a home with another three victims discovered inside. A 17-year-old mother and her six-month-old child were among those killed. Police are investigating the cause of the deadly car crash that killed a University of Georgia football player Devin Willock and recruiter Chandler LeCroy when their car crash in a power line Sunday morning. The crash happened just south of UGA's campus. The school says two other players were injured in the crash but are in stable condition. The accident coming hours after the team celebrated their national championship win with the parade.

WNBA star Maya Moore officially announced her retirement from basketball. In her brief but brilliant eight-year career, Moore won four WNBA titles, two Olympic medals, and set numerous franchise records for the Minnesota links. The 33-year-old indefinitely left the sport in 2019 to pursue criminal justice reform, helping overturn the wrongful conviction of her future husband, Jonathan Irons. in 2020. And today, the U.S. honor civil rights icon, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., tributes to his life and legacy taking place across the country, including at his former church, Ebenezer Baptist in Georgia, led by daughter Bernice, and a memorial wreath-lane event in D.C. attended by

son Martin Luther King III. All right, we want to turn overseas now to the war in Ukraine and one of the deadliest attacks yet on civilians. Russia strike in an apartment building over the week and killing at least 40, including three children. Officials from both the UN and EU saying the strike could be a war crime. Matt Bradley is on the ground for us tonight. Tonight, Ukrainian rescue workers still sifting through the rubble, desperate to find dozens of people still missing. More than two days after this devastating Russian attack

on an apartment building in the central city of Nipro. Is there anybody alive, this man shouts? But hope is dwindling. Today, more victims recovered. At least 40 people died, including three children. and 75 were wounded, making Saturday's missile strike among the deadliest Russian attacks on civilians since the war began. This is what was left.

This woman spoke to Ukraine's Channel 11 with a message to Russian forces. May you be cursed by all mother's tears, she yells. Incredibly, some survivors were still being pulled out of the wreckage as recently as Sunday, but Nipro's mayor says the time for hope may be over. I think the chances of saving people now are minimal, he said. May God help us. Meanwhile, after Russia claimed its first military victory in Ukraine in months in the eastern city of Soledar, Britain became the first country to announce it will give Western battle tanks to Ukraine.

Critical assistance as more civilians are caught in the crossfire. And Tom, there's going to be growing pressure from Ukraine for the U.S. to match that British offer of tanks. And meanwhile, the U.S. has announced an expanded program to train Ukrainian forces in Germany. Germany. Tom? Matt Bradley for us tonight. Matt, we thank you. Not a top story's global watch in Peru extending its state of emergency after weeks of deadly protest over the ousting of the country's former president. The order grants police more power to block protests. In Lima and two southern regions for more than 30 days. So far, more than 40 people have been killed in the demonstrations.

Now to that deadly car crash at Berlin's historic Brandenburg Gate, new video shows the mangled remains of a black sedan at the base of the iconic. landmark. Police say a man drove into the gate shortly before midnight. The driver of that car killed in the crash, but no one else was hurt. Officials say the incident did not cause any major damage. And scientists in Chile's Patagonia region making a fascinating find. The researchers unearthing dinosaur bones, the southernmost fossils ever discovered outside of Antarctica. Some of the fossils belong to carnivorous mega-raptors stretching more than 30 feet long. Scientists also finding remains of a dinosaur similar to a bacillaraptor.

which they say could be part of a new species. Okay, we head now to Italy, where the country's number one fugitive was arrested after three decades on the run. The notorious mafia boss will now face numerous murder charges. He's been tried and sentenced for in absentia, including the murder of a 12-year-old boy. Kelly Kobayah has the latest on how authorities finally tracked him down. Hiding in plain sight. Notorious mafia boss, Mateo Messina De Niro, led out of a private medical clinic in the Sicilian capital Palermo under arrest this morning as people cheered.

The 60-year-old alleged leader of the infamous Sicilian crime group, Cozanostra, was Italy's most wanted fugitive, eluding police for three decades. Italy's prime minister calling it a hard blow to organized crime. Lucina De Niro was tried, convicted, and sentenced in absentia to life in prison 20 years ago. For the murders of anti-Mafia prosecutors in 1992, deadly bomb attacks in Milan, Florence, and Rome a year later, and the kidnapping, torture, and murder of a 12-year-old boy. Prosecutors say they recently learned Messina DiNaro was ill and tracked him to the clinic in Palermo, where he was being treated under an alias.

His health issue forced him to come out in the open, the Palermo prosecutor said, adding, he didn't look like a broken man and was wearing a $37,000 watch. His arrest comes after the capture of another mob boss, Rocco Moribito, in Brazil last year, after 28 years on the run. Investigators tonight say Messina De Naro is being questioned at a secret location. They're hoping after 30 years he'll break the mafia code of silence and cooperate. Tom? Kelly Kobieya for us tonight.

And coming up, the shortage of weight loss drug, OZEMPIC, we'll tell you what we've learned about how much weight you actually lose, and the problem the shortage is causing for those who need it the most. Stay with us. We're back now with our ongoing coverage of that popular diabetes drug, OZMPIC, that has now turned into a viral weight loss craze. But high demand for the miracle drug, which some are calling the skinny pen, has led to some major shortages.

Ann Thompson has the latest. Ellie Diaz thought she found the answer to her lifelong struggle with weight in the drugs OZempic and Wagovi. My cravings were completely gone. I started losing weight rapidly. Her doctor prescribed the diabetes drug Ozempic, which is not approved by the FDA for weight loss, and then Wagovi, which is. But when unrelated health problems forced her to stop using the injectable drugs, I regain all my weight in around six months. Nicknamed Skinny Penz on social media, skyrocketing popularity led to shortages of Ozempic and Wagovi. Both drugs contain semi-glutide, which mimics a hormone that makes you feel full leading to weight loss as long as you're on it.

This is not a quick fix. It is not a quick fix. This is long-term management for people whose excess weight or obesity has impacted the quality of their life. Dr. Domenica Rubino worked on one of two. studies that showed when people stopped taking semaglutide, they regained weight. Are these drugs designed to help someone drop two dress sizes? No, these are serious medicines that should be used to treat serious disease. The maker of both OZempic and Wagovi, Novo Nordisk, says its research supports the belief

that obesity is a chronic disease that requires long-term management, and that in the case of OZempec does not encourage off-label use. Ellie Diaz wants to use Wagovi again. In my case, I believe a combination of medication and diet and life change will make the complete change. To keep this mom of three healthy for years to come. All right, we thank Ann Thompson for that. To talk more about OZempick and the current shortages, Dr. Jorge Rodriguez joins Top Story tonight from Los Angeles. Dr. Rodriguez, thanks for joining the show.

I know you're a board certified internal medicine doctor. So explain to me. drug work. We heard an ant's piece that OZIMPIC makes you feel full for longer. Can you explain? Well, OZMPIC works in a few different ways. It mimics a natural protein that we have in our body that first of all regulates our blood sugar so that it doesn't go up and down. We don't have those large spikes which make us hungry. It affects our brains so that we also don't feel as hungry and get full or quicker. But one thing that it does do is it slows down the emptying of the stomach. so therefore you feel fuller for a much longer period of time.

All that causes people to eat less. So I have to ask you then, why are people gained the weight back after they stop using OZemPEC? Because you would think, and again, I'm not a doctor, but your stomach is shrinking, you're eating less psychologically. Maybe you're thinking you don't have to eat as much anymore? Well, first of all, the stomach doesn't permanently shrink. It just slows down the emptying while you're taking the medication. And the effects, like the feeling fuller, only works while you're on the medication.

Just like any other diet, Tom, you stop it, and if you haven't changed your habits, you're going to gain the weight back. This is just a temporary temporizing measure to lose weight for a short period of time. What do doctors tell people that take this for weight loss, basically be aware of what you're eating and try to keep your diet consistent? You know what? When they did those studies that showed the weight loss in people that were not diabetic, They also tried and told them to modify their diet. So, first of all, doctors need to tell these people that there are multiple side effects from this, pancreatitis.

You can have a really bad reflux. And they need to tell the people taking Osambic for weight loss that this is just a temporary measure, that maybe it's something to kickstart the weight loss, but at the end of the day, it's your habits that are going to give you permanent weight loss. Okay, doctor, let's talk about these shortages now because I don't understand this.

if there's people who need this drug who have diabetes, how can doctors ethically be writing these prescriptions? You know, that's a great point. And, you know, early on when there wasn't a shortage, I wrote a few of these prescriptions. First of all, the FDA only approves this medication for people that have a BMI over 27 and have heart disease or some other comorbidity.

So I think you're absolutely right. I don't think it is ethical at this day and time when there's such a shortage for people that really do need this to write this as a weight loss drug. Why people do it? Why doctors do it? Listen, your guess is as good as mine. Do they make money off it? But it's something that I think should be done at this time. Dr. Rodriguez, do they make money off from any of those prescriptions? No, not that I know of. I and other doctors, we make money from people coming to the office. But listen, this is a capitalist nation, whether people create programs, there's always that possibility. But a doctor can't make

money from selling the medication and making profit from that sale. That's completely through the pharmacies. Ultimately, give the advice for our viewers right now. Some people who may be chronically overweight who are curious about this drug and people who maybe have diabetes who are concerned, they're not going to get it. All right, first of all, if you are seriously overweight, because this is a huge health issue in this country, there are other injectables that are similar, all right, to a Zempic that can be prescribed and are only for weight loss. Please ask your doctor that. Secondly, don't think that you're going to lose weight just by some magic pill. That magic pill may have to last your whole life. For people that are diabetic, if you find that there are

no more, there's no more ozambic to be found, there are other similar products that your doctor might be able to substitute. However, once you're on ozempic and medicines like that, there are very few alternatives. So, you know, we're between a rock and a hard place because of overused medication incorrectly. All right, Dr. Rodriguez, we thank you for your analysis and all your expertise in this. Still ahead tonight, the vintage Porsche getting a whole new look and feel thanks to one creative teenager. She's not even old enough to drive, but what she's doing would likely make Elon Musk smile. We'll explain. Next. Finally tonight, the 14-year-old mechanic saying goodbye to gasoline, turning a classic car into an electrifying ride, documenting the process on her YouTube page called Tinkergeniering, inspiring others to dream big and get their hands dirty.

Valerie Castro has this story. All right, you guys are probably wondering why I'm sitting on a stack of tires with this car behind me. 14-year-old Francis Farnham can't legally drive yet. So here's like the steering wheel. We have the windshield wiper, the thingy, ma-bobbers. But this teenage tinkerer already has a wealth of automotive know-how. So I wanted a Porsche because, oh my gosh, it's so cool. And why would I not want a Porsche?

Porsches are amazing. Her passion project inspired by record high gas prices, restoring this classic Porsche 914. I really loved the classic body style, and the Porsche 914, like, just the pop-up headlights and stuff, it's just such a unique car. The entry-level model from the 70s, affordable, lightweight, and aerodynamic, making it a popular pick for car enthusiasts who transform it from gas guzzler to a clean EV. And I wanted to do this to cut pollution and create awareness that kids my age can make a difference. Farnham sharing her restoration journey online through her YouTube page, Tinkergeniering. I definitely learned something new today. Getting some help from adults with welding, sanding, and painting.

I am not the only one doing this. I am getting help. If you guys are wondering, my dad's helping me. But raising money to buy the car, that was all Farnham and her cash crop. So I bought this car with the money I gained from selling grapefruit as part of a co-op. So I picked the grapefruit, and then I put it in a bin, and then we sold it. The car isn't done yet, but she's already receiving recognition for her hard work. Guess what just happened? My car just won the Diamond in the Rough Awards.

This is the best work in progress. Farnham now hoping her car restoration story can be a spark plug for other young tinkerers. I really want to be able to leave this earth better than I found it, and also just be able to inspire, like, other kids, my age and even younger, that they don't have to be an adult to make change. Like, they can make change now. Driving home the point that sustainable change should have style. Valerie Castro, NBC News.

Good luck to Francis. That looks like one cool car. We want to thank our powerhouse station in Los Angeles, KNBC, for their help on that story. And we thank you for watching Top Story Tonight. I'm Tom Yamis, New York. There. More news on the way.