Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, January 19, 2026

Episode Date: January 20, 2026

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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Breaking tonight, dangerous winter weather triggering a massive 100 car pile up as extreme cold impacts millions, plus the new major storm threat brewing. Dozens of cars and semi-trucks crashing and spinning off of icy roads, school buses mobilized to wash people to emergency shelters. Near whiteout conditions across multiple states are Bill Karen standing by with a deep freeze taking hold. Also tonight, the new threat to Greenland. President Trump texting one European president, he no longer feels obligated. to think, quote, purely of peace. This is the EU ways using their so-called trade bazooka over President Trump's latest tariff threats.

Anti-ice protesters disrupting a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota. Now the DOJ is investigating, plus what we know about U.S. troops on standby for deployment to Minnesota. Dozens kill after high-speed trains collide in Spain, what caused several cars to go off the rails? Remembering Italian fashion designer Valentino, the founder of the iconic fashion house, who dressed Hollywood in political royalty over decades has died,

how the fashion world is paying tribute tonight. One of America's most notable music venues now headed to the East Coast, the city where a new minisphere will soon call home. And honoring the life of Martin Luther King Jr., we speak with the civil rights leader's son and daughter-in-law about his legacy and what it all means in this moment. Plus, is the key to living longer simpler than you think, the new study revealing the small changes that could make all the difference.

The story starts right now. And a good Monday evening. I'm Sam Brock, in for Tom tonight. At this moment, a powerful and destructive snowstorm on the move after triggering a major 100 vehicle pile up in Michigan. One of the biggest crashes in that state's history. Dron video here capturing the scope of the mangled mess stretching miles just southwest of Grand Rapids,

stranding folks who no doubt are freezing in that weather. Dozens of tractor trailers jackknifed, SUVs and cars smashing into each other, some of them spinning off the highway entirely. This man streaming the chaotic aftermath on Facebook live. Take a listen. I went off the edge. You've got about 100.

You've got about 100 cars. Pure chaos. Police say that multiple people were injured, but no deaths were reported. Emergency crews rushing to the scene. Several vehicle pilots involving semis. So far, there's a 44-year-old male and a semi-old. 820 truck with a headless laceration at 10-20-A.

I don't think they could have about 100 cars up there that are evolved. So officials obviously forced to shut down the interstate for hours while they work to remove all of those vehicles. This driver capturing video after she spun off the road looks like down on the embankment,

she says she had to run into a field after hearing a thunder of cars and semis crashing behind her. A line of school buses then brought in to shuttle those left stranded to emergency shelters. And it's not just in the Midwest, blizzard conditions, blinding drivers near Rochester, New York this afternoon. Look at that. It all comes after that powerful weekend storm that brought snow as far south as Florida. And tonight, could the next major storm be just

days away? Our Bill Karen standing by as we wait with bated breath on the latest track and timing there. But first, we start with NBC News correspondent Aaron McLaughlin in a frigid New York City. Aaron, let's get back to that scene, that wild snowstorm in Michigan. Do we know what the latest is on the crash. Yeah, it's a stunning pile-up, Sam. We understand from officials that happen around 10 a.m. in the morning on I-196 in Freeland, Michigan, which is about an hour and 40-minute drive north of Detroit. They've been experiencing on that highway just white out conditions when all of a sudden the pile-up happened.

Some 30-to-40 trucks, semi-trucks, spinning. out as well as dozens more cars. We understand that multiple people were injured. Ten people were taken to the hospital. No one though was killed. We were speaking to one driver who told us it was one of the most terrifying moments of her life when her car veered off that road, down an embankment. She said though luckily first responders came quickly in the form of local buses, shipping people out of the area to safety because those temperatures are absolutely deadly. We're talking double-digit temps there in the Midwest, in the negative, negative double-digit temps. I was speaking to a doctor in Milwaukee, and he was telling me just 10 minutes in those conditions,

and you can get frostbite or worse, which is why they're urging folks to stay off the roads and stay at home, if possible, Sam. Underscoring the urgency of that situation there, Aaron, thank you so much for that. report. Let's turn now to meteorologist Bill Karens. And Bill, walk us through, I guess, the latest on this Arctic blast. Yeah, so we have two Arctic blasts that will set the stage for what should be a major snowfall. So let's first go with this what's happening tonight. All day long, negative wind chills, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, International Falls at one point say it was like negative 35. This cold air is sliding now through the Ohio Valley. We'll be in the Northeast

tomorrow morning. We do have cold advisors. We don't have too many cold warnings. Cold warnings means like you can get frostbite, like hypothermia, stuff like that. This is just plain old cold bundle up. You'll get through it. 19 tomorrow in D.C. Wind chill of 9. New York will be similar. And then the reinforcing shot comes in as we head through Friday and Saturday.

Look at these temperatures. 1, 5, 15, 8. So this is what's going to set the stage for the next event. Okay, so the reinforcing shot that you're describing here. Is that the second major storm in this duo? Yeah, so that cold air is in place. And then all of a sudden we're going to go and take some moisture and start feeding it up into the south of four-quartered region.

On this map, the blue shows you the snow, the pink is the ice. Look at all of the ice, Dallas, Mississippi, Louisiana, northern portions of Alabama, Georgia, to the Carolinas, and then a big area of snow to the top of this. This could easily be not just our largest, but in some cases our most intense storm that we've had for a multiple winter. So this could be like a crippling event for some areas. We're going to pinpoint that as the week goes on. But a huge freezing rain threat from Dallas to areas of Memphis, Jackson,

Atlanta and then a heavy snow somewhere in the mid-Atlantic. We don't yet know how far north it will get, if New York City will get into it or Boston, but we are going to get hit hard. Make your plans now in the back of your mind if you have to change them for this upcoming weekend. All right, a mess in store for us later this week. Bill, thank you so much for that. We turn now to the other major headline that we're following tonight. President Trump ramping up the rhetoric when it comes to Greenlands, posting on Truth Social that he'll be imposing a 10% tariff on all goods from Denmark and seven other of Greenland is not sold to the United States. In a phone interview with NBC News,

the president doubling down, saying he's 100% certain that he is going to follow through on that tariff threat, and when asked if he would consider using force to take Greenland, the president said, quote, no comment. Now, a text sent by President Trump to Norway's president giving some insight into what could be motivating this push,

President Trump writing in part, quote, considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped eight or Wars Plus, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace. We've got all sides of this situation covered. Brian Chung is here to break down the economic impact and the threat of something called a trade bazooka. We'll find out more about that momentarily. But we want to start our coverage with Garrett Haik tonight at the White House. Garrett, things seemingly escalating much faster here in the last 24 hours. I guess the question right now, is there common ground here

for the president to reach with our European allies? Well, Sam, the great irony of all this is that yes, there is common ground available. The president simply has to get to yes. Denmark and Greenland have both said that if it's security that the president cares about, they're willing to expand the U.S.'s military presence on the island of Greenland from the bases that we already have there to potentially reopening older bases to allowing the U.S. almost unfettered access to the country to beef up Arctic security. But if it's about more than that, if it's about the president's frustration about how he's viewed on the global community, if it's about the Nobel Peace Prize, or if it's about expanding his legacy in the Western Hemisphere,

that may not be something there at all interested in helping him with. And by the way, Sam, the early polling on this shows it's not something that most Americans are interested in either. The disapproval numbers are significant for either buying or trying to take Greenland by force, anywhere between 70 and percentages in the high 80s of Americans saying this is not something we should be getting into. Right. So overwhelming disapproval from the public, Garrett. Secretary General of NATO today meeting with Denmark and Greenland to discuss security in the region. We know that the threat, allegedly from Russia and China, one of the arguments that President Trump has made for why the U.S. needs to possess Greenland. How was the rest of NATO viewing that framework?

It's a five-alarm fire for NATO, Sam. I mean, the issue of Arctic security is real, but you have a grand partnership here in NATO, arguably the most successful military alliance in history. And the argument from every other country in NATO, not including the U.S., is this is what we're here for. The U.S., Denmark, Canada, these European nations could defend Greenland and the rapidly warming Arctic together. They don't need to hand it over to the United States entirely. But NATO, which functions on consensus and with the U.S. as the dominant military power, is in a bit of an existential crisis right now. If the dominant country in NATO decides to just pick off a territory from a smaller member, What happens then? It's a completely untested proposition, Sam, and one that the heads of state in Europe right now can't rule out.

Yeah. Where is the off-ramp is the question tonight? Garrett, thank you so much for that report. Let's get right now over to Brian Chung for more on the possible economic impact of the president's tariff threat. You know, Brian, the Europeans right now are talking about something called a trade bazooka. This doesn't sound good. No. What does that mean? Yeah, well, first, let's talk about the other options that they have because there is a playbook for this. the president has threatened substantial tariffs on the European Union last year in his first year of this second term. And at the time, the European Union threatened these retaliatory tariffs. Essentially, okay, you're going to tariff us? Well, we're going to tariff American goods coming into the European Union as well on things like Boeing airplanes, on things like bourbon.

So those are very substantial tariffs that were never put into effect. They're now threatening that. But if that doesn't work, there's been this fascinating new term that's been resurfacing called the trade bazooka. This is what they call the anti-coercion instrument. This would be a way that if the European Union felt they really needed to really hit the United States back, they could essentially restrict U.S. trade happening at all by suspending licenses. They could even impose quotas. In some cases, they could tax and tariff those even further. It's a very wide-ranging tool that they would implement to be able to basically give them flexibility

to punch back at the United States if it gets them. Presumably, this would be mutually detrimental to both the American economy and these European nation economy. if no one is doing trade as a result of this tad-out-tete back and forth, really. And so where do we go from here? I guess a new study featured in the Wall Street Journal suggests that the Americans are going to be the ones paying in all of this. I mean, President Trump has talked about trying to lower the cost of goods for consumers.

Is that the likely outcome we're looking at here? Yeah, well, the Wall Street Journal referring to this study from a German Institute saying that over 90%, almost all the tariffs are born by American companies. That is something we have extensively reported across our programming here in the United States. it's American importers that pay that cost. So if the United States imposes that 10% additional tariff on these countries as a result of this Greenland spat, by the way, that would ratchet up to 25% once we get to June, you would imagine a lot of those costs are going to be borne by Americans.

But Sam, one dark horse that we're following here is what is the Supreme Court going to say about the president's authority on these tariffs in the first place? We're expecting tomorrow morning more SCOTUS decisions. Could that include the tariff argument? We'll have to say. It may or may not. But that decision looms large. at some point this term. That's right. Brian Chong. He's the man on the spot always. Thank you, sir. We appreciate that. Now to the very latest on the Immigration Showdown in Minnesota, the Pentagon ordering 1,500 troops to prepare for possible deployment to the state.

This is according to two defense officials, as tensions between anti-ice protesters and federal agents continues to boil over. Now, we want to bring in NBC's Maggie Vesma, who has been following the latest for us in Minneapolis. Maggie, obviously, you have been on the ground personally and watched this tension rise for two weeks now. more do we know about the possible deployment of troops? I mean, Sam, it would be a major escalation. It goes without say. But right now, what we know is that that word that you used is perfect, possible is what we want to stress at this point. Two defense officials confirming NBC news that a total of 1,500 active duty soldiers from two battalions of the 11th airborne division have been placed on what they call ready to deploy orders.

And those officials stressing to us, that doesn't mean that it's going to happen or that any decision has been made. They just say that they are, in their words, using prudent planning. Of course, it comes after President Trump publicly floated the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act here in Minneapolis, which would mean just unilaterally sending in troops to quell unrest and protests, which, of course, we've seen just almost consistently here over the last two weeks since Renee Good was shot on the ground here. So it would be a major escalation. Sam, I really quickly want to point out, by the way, for viewers at home, we're sitting where we are right now, because all of this is happening against the backdrop of that record cold that you've been talking about.

It was so cold outside today. Our gear froze up and stopped working. So we came inside to deliver these reports while monitoring just things as they escalate and fluctuate here. It's an incredible testament to the dedication of the journalism and also the people that are standing outside in five or 10 degree temperatures and locking arms with neighbors to try to voice and show their disapproval. Maggie, ICE protesters today interrupting a church service or this happened yesterday. What more do we know about what happened there? This is getting a ton of headlines.

This is at what's called City's Church in St. Paul, so near Minneapolis. And you can see the protesters in this video that they live streamed walking into this church, angry about they say, important to stress, a pastor named David Easterwood, who they say runs the local ice operations here in the Minneapolis area. And I stress it that way because Easterwood's not responding to our request for comment, nor is the church. And DHS is declining to confirm or deny that he is indeed one of their staff or has that position. He was not there at the church that day. But basically these protesters say they were angry and wanted parishioners to know what their pastor did kind of for his day job.

Now, DHS is releasing a statement about this. I want to read it to you in part saying, quote, agitators aren't just targeting our officers. This is DHS's words. Now they're targeting churches too. They're going from a hotel to hotel, a hotel, church. to church hunting for federal law enforcement. They go on to say they'll never confirm or deny attempts to docks our law enforcement officers. We both know that means docs short for documents, like posting their personal information online, posting where they work so people can find them in real life. So DHS coming out and saying and, you know, highly criticizing this protest, to put it lightly, DOJ, meanwhile, launching a criminal investigation, they say, saying the church

was private property and a number of federal crimes could have been committed by this. We'll point out peaceful protests that was on private property. So a lot of eyebrows being raised, a lot of attention on that one protest amid all of this, Sam. And a lot of accusations in a very volatile environment. Maggie Vest before us tonight. Thank you so much. We turn now overseas and a harrowing scene in Spain after a high-speed train collision killed at least 40 people and injured dozens more mounting questions tonight about what caused that deadly disaster. NBC's Ralph Sanchez, joining us now with the very latest. Raff, we understand that there were two trains heading in opposite directions that somehow collided on a recently renovated flat stretch of track.

What more of officials said at this point about the potential cause here? So, Sam, authorities are saying this does not appear to have been human error. This doesn't look like it was a case of either of those two drivers going too fast or anything like that. Beyond that, we do not at this stage have a good explanation. The Spanish government is promising a full investigation to get to the bottom of it, but it does appear that this was some kind of technical error with the train line. And the Spanish transport minister is saying it is extremely strange that the accident happened where it did near the city of Cordoba, because this is an area where you have flat, straight rails. It's not like this train was going fast around a corner

or anything like that. The tracks had recently been renovated. The train itself relatively new, just four years old. So a lot of questions, the train driver's union in Spain, are saying that they warned last summer they had safety concerns about the state of the railway. We don't know at this point whether that's relevant to this crash or not. And it also sounds like Raf just really bad timing in the sense that these two trains happen to be passing at the same time as there was this this odd, whatever mechanical issue arose. We're now also hearing from some of the passengers who were on board and how they got out. Yeah, some really horrific stories coming from the survivors here.

Just to paint the picture, 7.45 p.m. Sunday night, you have this northbound service going from Malaga up to Madrid, the Spanish capital, the end of the weekend, a lot of people coming home. And then in the other direction, the southbound service, the northbound jumping the rails, colliding and you have passengers plunged into darkness, train cars just tumbling down this 13-foot embankment. I want to play you just a little bit of sound from one survivor who made it out but saw some pretty horrific scenes. Take a listen. Some people were fine and others were really bad and we had them in front of us and you could see them dying and you could do nothing. People who were all right broke the windows and

pulled me out because I was covered in blood. And Spanish authorities putting the death toll at 40 right now, around 70 injured, but they are warning that those numbers could rise, especially the death toll, in the coming days and hours. Sam. Incredibly tragic. We know you'll stay on top of it. Ralph. Thank you so much. And we are back in a moment now with the search for a suspect after a county judge and his wife were allegedly shot inside of their home. What we're learning from investigators at the South,

plus tributes pouring in for famed Italian designer Valentino. at his life and his impact on the fashion world. And countdown to kickoff, Indiana and Miami, set to square off for college football immortality. Tonight, the college football national championship on the line. We're live from South Florida with a preview. Next. Back now with college football's biggest night,

Miami looking to capture their first national title in decades and effectively a hometown championship game. But standing in their way, a dominant Indiana team that has not lost a single game all season, But along with the pressure of a national title comes some extra security around Hard Rock Stadium as another South Florida regular. President Donald Trump is in attendance for what's shaping up to be a college football classic. Also in attendance. Our very own Jesse Kirsch, who joins us now from outside the stadium. Jesse, congratulations. We are all envious of your assignment tonight. We have, of course, seen long lines security at other big sporting events that Trump has attended previously. The U.S. Open comes to mind only a few months ago. We're now just minutes away from kickoff.

Give us a sense of what it's like outside right now. Yeah, so about 15 minutes ago, Sam, inside the bowl, there was still a good number of seats that were empty. And of course, that just plays into if there are any kind of choke points from a security perspective for people getting in. It doesn't appear that way. One of the security gates is right to the side of where I am right now. And it seems to be pretty quiet, all things considered compared to the crush of people we saw out there earlier. TSA, Secret Service on site, definitely an elevated sense of screening. On the field, pregame, not with the president, was Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

He was mixing and mingling with the likes of Tim Tebow, among others. Of course, a legend from a different school in Florida. And now we are waiting for a blockbuster matchup that is unofficially a Miami home game. Literally, they have the U logo on the side of the building here at Hard Rock Stadium, but they're up against a formidable adversary in the number one undefeated Indiana Hoosers, Sam. It's basically the definition of a home field advantage, and yet you laid out all the challenges facing the canes tonight. Let's talk. Put on your sports analyst cap for a second, Jesse, and keys to the game.

Indiana has been unstoppable this season. Their quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the most prolific in the sport. What would it take for Miami to come out tonight and win a championship for the home crowd? Yeah, well, step number one, Sam, is find a way to stop Mendoza. Not only has he been a prolific player, he has been the best player in college football this year. That is according to the fact that he is now the Heisman Trophy winner, the first in Indiana's history. And so if you're going to find a way to shut down Indiana, it's going to involve stopping him from throwing those passes for touchdowns, which he's done countless times, dozens of times this season. When you talk about this being a hometown advantage for Miami, I got to tell you, there may have been more than 50% crimson in the stands here.

Make no mistake, the Hoosier fans traveled for this matchup. It is not going to be a situation, I think, where Indiana is going to be overwhelmed by Miami fans is going to be overwhelmed by the crowd. I think both teams have their supporters in the stands, but there is no clear home field advantage, despite the fact that we are not far from South Beach right now. Okay, you make a great point. Indiana University, also one of the largest schools in the country, so a huge alumni network as well. Now, take us back behind the scenes here. This was such a cool part of your story. While most people in South Florida, like our very own Tom Yamis, are going to be rooting for the canes. One high school there is very much a house divided. One of their alumni, Indiana quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, among others, right?

Among others, including the head coach of Miami, who played high school football with Fernandez. Mendoza's dad at Columbus High School in Miami. And by the way, huge shout out to you, Mr. Brock, because we were tipped off onto this story because of all the great work you've done out here in the Miami area over the years. So we went and we caught up with the team that's the head coach of the football team there. And we're looking up there at that billboard, Sam. He told me every one of the five former Columbus players who is on the rosters playing tonight has a state title from high school. And so we talked about it.

I asked the coach who he's rooting for. He told me, his daughter asked him, he wouldn't even tell her. He is truly cheering for both sides. He said he was going to send good luck messages to all of his players from both sides. Some kids at the school were willing to take a stand, root for Miami, root for Indiana. But the coach and some of the students even were like, I'm not getting in the middle of this. It's a win for our team here at Columbus, no matter who wins. And I think there is a sense of that, at least for some here, that regardless of which team wins,

There is a Miami victory at the heart of all this. But I will say Mr. 305 himself Pitbull was wearing a Hurricanes jacket with a giant you on the back. So we at least know where he stands. And who will be cheering for tonight? Of course, he can't change his name from Mr. 305. So that all tracks. Jesse Kirsch, great work on this. You can check out Jesse's story on NBCNews.com.

Enjoy tonight, my friend. Still ahead this evening. President Trump now calling for regime change in Iran after weeks of deadly protests there. Rakhir Simmons reports on the stories emerging about the violent crackdown on demonstrators, plus the dramatic smash-and-grab caught on camera. Thieves breaking into a jewelry store, making off with, get this, more than a million dollars in merchandise in a matter of minutes. We'll be right back.

And we are back now with the ongoing crisis in Iran. President Trump going as far as suggesting that a regime change in that country, as activists estimate the death toll there has surpassed 4,000 people. A warning now. Some of the images are disturbing. Kyr Simmons has more. The human face of the massacre in Iran is slowly emerging, one picture at a time, human rights groups posting images of those killed. Individual stories, unconfirmed by NBC News, but over 4,000 was slaughtered in the crackdown on protests, according to a U.S.-based human rights activist news agency. Around 180 of the dead were government-affiliated, it says. Others put the numbers much higher, the deadliest days since the Iranian revolution in 1979.

They were crushed. Security portals carried out, mass killings and mass a cross across the whole country. Videos of the violence are digitally smuggled out, despite an internet blackout, showing protesters covered in blood and automatic weapons fired at protesters. It's not clear who's holding the gun here, but they are wearing. a visor suggesting a member of Iran's security services. Witness talks about military-style operations, snipers shooting protests, directly in the head or chest. Hengor Organization for Human Rights, hearing stories not confirmed by NBC News, of mothers and children killed by direct gunfire, even pregnant women.

Tonight, the protests have largely disappeared. President Trump, who had told the Iranian people, help is on the way. pulling back from threats of striking on Iran after he said the regime halted the execution of 800 people. President Trump over the weekend telling Politico it's time to look for new leadership in Iran after Iran's supreme leader blamed America and Israel for the protests and called Trump a war criminal. Trump's ambassadors to the United Nations saying all options are on the table.

President Trump is a man of action. While yesterday Iran's president warned an attack on our country's supreme leader is equivalent to a full-scale war with the Iranian people. Some human rights groups now say they suspect executions are taking place away from the cameras. If President Trump does decide to strike Iran, he could decide to go after what's left of its nuclear capability or target its oil production, which provides most of its revenue. If he chooses to target its 86-year-old leader, that could provoke a fierce reaction or

lead to the collapse of the regime. There is now a bitter debate over those options, with many here in this region in the Middle East urging the president not to go too far. Others saying the time has come. Sam? Delicate choices. Kier Simmons, thank you so much for that report. We move now to Top Stories news feed tonight. An update on President Trump's efforts to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook. You'll recall that NBC News has learned that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is going to be attending the Supreme Court on Wednesday when justices are said to hear arguments on whether the president can fire Cook

over allegations of mortgage fraud. That is according to a person familiar with Powell's plans. The Supreme Court has allowed Cook to remain in office as the case plays out. Check out this surveillance video that captured the moment that thieves broke into a jewelry store. This is clearly a smashing grab at every sense in New Jersey before making off with $1.5 million in merchandise.

It all happened in just a few minutes. That is according to the store's owner who spoke to NBC, New York. Look at that sledgehammer there. You can see the burglars using them to smash the display cases and to clear out the shelves. We're told none of the workers inside were injured. The suspects, though, are still at large. And good news for concert goers. You might not have to go to Las Vegas to see some shows at the iconic sphere. Project organizers say a smaller version is in the works right now outside of Washington, D.C. that's in Prince George's County, Maryland. The new sphere would have a apparently hold around 6,000 people, more than three times smaller than the one in Vegas. A local leader said that they're aiming for it to be open within three to four years. Well, we move now to Indiana and the urgent manhunt that's underway at this moment for a gunman who shot a Tippa Canoe County judge and his wife inside of their home. We want to bring in NBC's Priscilla Thompson, who's been following this story for us. Priscilla, we understand the shooter in this case still at large.

What other details do we have of how this all unfolded and how is the couple doing tonight? Yeah, Sam, so we know that this happened Sunday afternoon in a county about 70 miles southeast of Indianapolis and that when police arrived, they found a man and a woman both with gunshot wounds. We now know that that man was, of course, Judge Steve Meyer, who was injured in his arm. And along with his wife, Kimberly, who was injured in her hip. Both of them were taken to a hospital and were told that they are in stable condition. Now, as for the suspect, that person or persons remains at large. The mayor saying that they are using, quote, every available resource to find this person.

We did also hear from Kimberly Mayer, one of the victims, saying that she is grateful to law enforcement and that she does believe that they will ultimately find the individual or individuals responsible for this. We are also hearing from other judges who sit on the bench with Judge Meyer saying that it is completely unacceptable that a judge or their family would be the target of an attack like this. Now, of course, that suspect is silly. at large police working at this hour to apprehend them. And so we don't yet know what that motive is

and whether or not this was a random or a targeted attack. Sam? That's some frightening moments there for that community. Priscilla, thank you so much. Well, tonight the fashion world is mourning the loss of a legend. Valentino, the designer whose name became synonymous with timeless elegance, has died at the age of 93. NBC news is Chloe Malas.

Takes a look back at his life and his legacy. Valentino, one of the most influential fashion designers of the last century has died. In a statement posted to his Instagram account Monday, the fashion house said Valentino passed away at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones. Born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani on May 11, 1932, and Volghera, Italy, Valentino showed an early passion for design,

studying fashion in Paris before launching his label in Rome in 1959. I know what men want. And what do they want? They want to be beautiful. It was his signature, unforgettable red, that would become his calling card. Supermodels singing his praises over his nearly 50-year career. It's always just really extremely elegant. The Valentino label, a staple for A-listers on the red carpet.

There's something about the line, man. And it's, I think this is timeless. It's a work of art. Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy wore this custom Valentino dress when she was wed Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis. Elizabeth Taylor at a celebration for her film Spartacus in 1960. And who could ever forget Julia Roberts in that black and white gown when she won the Oscar for Best Actress in 2001. Thank you, thank you ever so much. Style correspondent Zana Roberts Rossi says his legacy goes beyond just fashion. He spent time with all of these people

and a personal setting as well. On the boats, on the yachts, and the private dinners, and the homes, and the vacations. Ironically, he was probably more of a celebrity than the celebrities he dressed. I refuse to be sick. I'm wearing Valentino for crying out loud. Valentino's cultural reach extended beyond the runway.

He famously played himself in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. And became the subject of the acclaimed 2008 documentary, Valentino, the Last Emperor, offering an intimate look at his life. life, his work, and his beloved pugs who were rarely far from his side. Hello. Ciao, Giancarlo.

That same year, Valentino retired, holding his final show in Paris at the Mouzae Rodon, a farewell fitting for a master of elegance. Valentino, a designer who defined beauty, restraint, and romance, leaves behind a legacy stitched into fashion history itself. Sam, fans of Valentino can actually go pay their respects in person this week and Rome on Wednesday and Thursday at his foundation's headquarters ahead of what is expected to be a funeral on Friday, fit for a king. And when I was interviewing Zana Roberts Rossi, she said, keep an eye out at what the celebrities are going to be wearing to the Oscars in March that

expect to see a lot of Valentino and a lot of his signature red. Sam? It'll be nice to see him honored. Chloe, thank you so much for that. Well, Prince Harry coming up is back in the UK today for the final round in his legal battle against the British tabloids. The latest on the courtroom showdown. Plus, the new study out on the key to living a longer life. I'll be speaking with the doctor about the little changes that could make a big difference. That story is coming up next. And we're back now with Top Stories Health Check.

We're three weeks into the new year. Many Americans, of course, setting new health goals for themselves. But there's developing research that shows the key to living longer may be in the smallest of changes. The study published in the journal E-Clinical Medicine found that people with the poorest health habits could add up to a year to their life if they combined five extra minutes of sleep per night, nearly two extra minutes of exercise per day, and a five-point increase in their diet quality score, like adding an extra half-serving of vegetables. Joining me is Dr. Jordan Metzell. He's a specialist in sports medicine and fitness. So five more minutes of sleep, one more minute of exercise, improving your diet quality score. I mean, it sounds like simple things. Is it really tweaks around the margins that can make a big difference? You better believe it.

The biggest difference is in the small things you do every single day. In baseball terms, we're not looking for the Grand Slam home run. We're looking for singles every single day, every single at bat. That will add up to health and healthy longevity for you. Dr. Metzell, I can't speak for everybody, but I know sleep is such an important component of this. And for many folks that work in corporate America are very exacting jobs. It can be hard to carve out five, ten, 15 minutes. I mean, a lot of us maybe think 30 minutes an hour, but even five or 10 minutes, it's just that simple.

That's right. So this study comes out of looking at health behaviors of thousands of people in what's called the UK Biobank. So they look at people's activities, and even a little bit of sleep makes a big difference. So things like great sleep hygiene, keeping the electronic devices out of the bedroom, the things we've kind of heard about. Five, ten minutes can make a big difference. That's interesting. Let me follow up on that for a second. If you keep your phones out of rage at night, that will actually be positive as well. Absolutely. There's been a lot of work done on kind of reducing. reducing light exposure in the hour or two before you go to bed, keeping technology out of the

bedroom, having your bedroom as a dark, cool place. All those things can lead to increase sleep quality, so make you sleep better. Got it. I know a lot of folks who are watching this night right now are probably wondering you talk about diet and exercise and sleep. Is one more important than the other, or is it sort of you've got to pit all three buckets? Listen, they're all important. I'm a sports medicine doctor and I'm big into exercise. So I think the exercise piece we have the most evidence on the benefit exercise, even for people who may be somewhat sleep deficient or have different nutritional choices. Exercise probably trumps all, but together, it's kind of three parts of a triangle. They all hold up each leg and all make a difference.

It's a total picture, but cardio, I'm assuming, is the most important when you talk exercise. Surprisingly not. It's cardio and strength together. The reason is you want to build and maintain your muscle, which really makes you more metabolically healthy, which helps all your help across your lifespan. These are, in fact, our goals. Hopefully we can stick to them. Dr. Jordan Metzel, thank you so much. We appreciate that. Story's Global Watch and the showdown between Prince Harry and a major British tabloid publisher. Harry, along with celebrities including Elton John, suing over alleged phone hackings and invasions of privacy spanning two decades. NBC's Danielle Hemmegen has this report from outside the courthouse in London.

Prince Harry is back in court. His last case after a string of lawsuits against British media organizations. And the fifth in line to the throne is in fighting. this one on his own, among the other celebrity claimants, actress Elizabeth Hurley, and singer Elton John and his husband, David Furnish. But the high-profile litigation has taken a toll on the Royals, believed to have, in part, driven a wedge between the Prince and his family. The fact that Harry is and always has been determined to take on the press and to win, to beat them rather than to come to some sort of arrangement with them has definitely been one of the main, if not, the central reason for the breakdown of his relationship with his father and with his

brother William. Harry is taking on the publisher of the Daily Mail, ANL, Associated Newspapers Limited. Among the accusations that ANL hacked phones, hired private investigators to secretly place listening devices inside people's cars and homes. and impersonated individuals to obtain medical information, all over a period dating back up to 30 years. A publisher denies the allegations, describing them as preposterous smears. There's a huge amount that has come to light now

that people and the British public especially simply have no idea about. Fighting the British tabloids has become one of Harry's life missions. He's previously blamed them for the death of his mother, Princess Diana and described their treatment of his wife Megan as racist. The couple eventually moving to the U.S. in a bitter split with the royal family. This weekend, Megan posting candid family videos of their life in California. Now with the prince back in London, those wounds are unlikely to heal in the media glare of this high-profile trial. Now back in 2023, Prince Harry became the first senior British royal in more than a century to give evidence.

in court. He'll be back in the witness box this coming Thursday. And NBC News legal analyst Danny Savalos is here to break down this high-profile trial for us. Danny, we heard today accusations from the celebrities that Daily Mail journalists had obtained private medical records, travel information, impersonating them in some cases. At least those are the accusations to get information. The big question in all this is how does Prince Harry and his legal team go about proving that that actually happened? Well, first, the burden of proof in England is a lot different than it is here in the United States. The British law has robust privacy protection in a way that the United States simply never has.

We have causes of action for things like intrusion upon seclusion, but the burden, again, on the plaintiff, is much higher. For a claimant in Britain, on the other hand, the burden is often shifted to the defendants to prove that they didn't violate privacy. So to that end, the claimants in this case, Prince Harry and others, may have an easier road than they would here. In an era where this dates back to well before, where everything was on electronic devices and email, how do the defendants in this case prove that they didn't tamper with any of this personal information? Well, that's a huge challenge, and you bring up a really good point.

Some of these allegations date several decades back, and you only need to go back a decade or two until that digital evidence trail really diminishes. It diminishes with time, and the further we go back in time, because those documents simply may not exist if they were in paper form. So in the modern area, it might be very easy to find out if someone was hacked or find the electronic trail. There just may not be as much of an electronic trail when the evidence is as old as this. Danny, lastly, we understand this isn't the first time that Prince Harry has testified in cases against the British tabloids. What have we learned both of the previous ones resulted in settlements? What sort of insight does that lend into this case here?

Very little, because the decision to settle with other parties is really unique and specific to this. those parties. Settlement is almost always a business decision. It really isn't based on the merits of the case. The company says, can we afford to go to trial and bear the risk? Economically, it's about dollars and cents, and each company has its own breaking point when it comes to settlement. But it's sort of damage control, at least from a control, from a corporate perspective. Risk aversion, yes. There we go. Another way to coin it. Thank you, Danny. Appreciate it. Still to come tonight as the nation marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day, his son, Martin Luther King, the 3rd and his daughter-in-law, Andrea Waters King, join us here at Top Story to talk about

their father's legacy and what it means against the backdrop of today's social and political challenges before us. Stay with us. We'll be right back. And finally tonight, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream. Today marks the 40th observation of the federal holiday in the civil rights leader's name. And across the country today, parades, panels, service projects, all taking place to honor his legacy. In Atlanta at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King once preached, his youngest daughter Bernice, telling the crowd that Dr. King's words and message are urgently needed today. A time when our nation is fractured by polarization, poisoned by fear, and paralyzed by division. We gather in a moment charged with both peril and promise. A moment when the soul of

our nation is crying out, not with a whisper, but with a groan. of urgency, for healing, for direction, for a way forward that binds our wounds rather than deepens them. Paralyzed by division. For more on this moment, and Dr. King's legacy, I'm joined now by his son, Martin Luther King III and his wife, Andrea Waters King. Thank you both for taking the time to be with us, of course, on this day, guys. Martin, I want to start with you. And of course, in this moment of division that your sister just beautifully highlighted in church this morning, given how polarized everything seems to be today. What does that path forward look like to you?

Well, you know, my father would characterize it in this way, I think, and that is we have to find a way to hue out of a mountain of despair, a stone of hope. And I think people, it's clear to me that people are looking for something different than what conduct has been occurring day after day on the new. in our nation and around the world. I want to give one example. There are 25 or so monks that are marching from Texas to Washington to our nation's capital.

They may be getting very close to the capital, but as they started and come, when they came through Atlanta on the last day of the year, the 31st, we actually want to join just to see. And the crowds were swelling bigger and bigger and bigger to go see. a group of monks who were just marching in peace, requesting peace, in silence. That says to me that people want something different than what they're being offered. They want something positive. They want to create a better nation and world for their children, and they want opportunity. And so, you know, I think, for example, the holiday, while we're at an unusual point,

and inflection. There is certainly far more good than there is evil and tragedy. And I think my father and mother are calling us to a higher calling, to our higher angels as a nation and a world. It feels bleak some days. But yet when I see these individuals marching, and I see all of the people who are coming to them, we saw in South Carolina a few days ago where they're seemed to be almost a million people. It was at least 6,700,000 that were marching over a bridge, along with the monks. Why do you think it is, Martin, then, that there is such a disconnect

between what people, the vast majority of people in this country want and what we're seeing in terms of governance? Well, I think there are forces that want to accomplish one factor or for themselves. And it's not looking out for what is in the interest of all. it's looking out what is in the interest of just a few. Who that is is challenging to say. I will say that it feels like,

and I'm not against people making money. I want people to make as much money as they can, but it feels like the policy is focused on just a few, the one percenter is making all kind of money. And masses of people suffering or having to decide whether or not they're going to be able to pay their health care bills, where they're going to be able to put food on their tables. That should not be.

That's not what the American way is. So we've made a departure. We need a course correction, in fact. We need to do a dramatic change so that we can lift people up, create a higher quality of life, and really truly build an economy that is representative of all people. That's not happening now. But it does not mean that when people, we the people, stand up.

in a constructive, nonviolent way that that can't reemerge. Sure, calls for economic equality, but also for just improving how we treat one another. And, Andrea, I want to pivot to you for a second here. When you look at what's happening on the streets of Minneapolis, and we hear the governor and the mayor there imploring residents to exercise their free speech rights peacefully. Do you think those rights are being respected? I think that time will tell.

you know, one of the things that Martin Luther King, Jr. said is that the greatness of America is the right to protest for that which is right. I applaud both the governor and the mayor in continuing to stand and calling for peaceful demonstrations. Right now we are seeing the protesters remaining overwhelmingly peaceful. We also at the same time are seeing a deliberate militarization. in Minneapolis and in cities all across our nation. So I think we're going to really be at, we already are at a reckoning in this country, and then in the days and weeks ahead,

we're going to be even more at a higher level in reckoning. And we join with both the mayor and the governor to encourage all of the people that are out protesting to do so peacefully. But we also have to remember that, that to love in times like these is in and of itself a revolutionary act. And a lot of what the people that are protesting are doing are standing in that spirit of Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King and so many others in that spirit of love,

to really stand for people who feel as if the standing for the voiceless. So as long as they are doing that in a way that continues to be nonviolent, they are operating within that spirit. Yeah, the power of love and kindness at a time of obvious high tension. And Martin, I want to turn to a topic. And love, too, because I always have to remind people, when we're talking about love, we're not talking about the sentimental love. You know, that is a type of love and it has its place. What we're talking about is a reminder of the interconnectedness of each of us as humanity. and creating and the fact that we are all linked together in ways which we all still really truly don't understand.

But ultimately what we want to do is create a true symphony of brotherhood and sisterhood is that type of love. It's just an acknowledgement of our shared humanity, of our shared, you know, the fact that we're all Americans, that we're all humans. That is the type of love that we're talking about. For sure. And in this case, standing outside in 10 or 15 degree temperatures, when you feel like members of your community are being preyed upon, I believe is what you're saying, Andrea. I want to shift for a second, Martin, to a topic that I know is extremely personal to you and your family. We have seen a rise in political violence this last year from, ironically, the Minnesota legislature's killed inside their own home to the assassination of Charlie Kirk on a college campus last year. How should we respond in a high-tension environment like the one we find ourselves in right now?

Well, number one, we have got to every time an incident occurs of violence. where particularly when it is fatal. I mean, violence, period, needs to be addressed. But when the fatality occurs and people are killed, that is unacceptable. That is not American. That is something culturally that has gone wrong. We could and should be a better society than that. And we have to say something about it, not blame one side or the other.

That is not productive. It's not helpful. It's not going to change anything. We as a nation must come together, on the left, on the right, in the middle, on the side, and say this is wrong, unacceptable, and we are not going to tolerate that. But the climate has got to change if we're going to make progress. Political violence is something that is not new, but it seems to be more pronounced now. And it's coming from all sides. It's not coming from the right or the left.

It's coming from all sides. That has got to change. Our nation has got to respond differently. And we need to be setting examples for our children, not getting on the internet and lamb blasting someone. That is crazy. But that's what's happening. And this is what our young people are looking at,

and that's who they're modeling themselves after, as opposed to those. You know what I was saying? Cooler heads prevail. Well, we have to create the climate for a cooler response. And ultimately, we will be able to suppress, hopefully, political violence. Right, and demanding from our leaders that they're conveying the message that you just articulated. Andrea, I want to ask you another question here.

Back in 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was of course awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his, quote, nonviolent struggle for civil rights. What do you make of the 2025 Peace Prize winner, Maria Carina Machado, offering her award to President Trump. I am very puzzled by that, and frankly, to be transparent, a bit disappointed. The medal itself as an object has, you know, she has every right to do with that object

as she would desire. However, the Nobel Prize committee has made it abundantly clear that the honor of being a Nobel laureate, that title cannot be transferred. It cannot be given. So, you know, that's what she chooses to do with her object.

And, you know, that's her prerogative. Martin, just to end with you, there's a lot of uncertainty right now. Why have hope? What gives you hope and optimism right now? Well, what gives me hope and optimism is every day I hear about something that either a young person did, particularly young people. I'm hopeful that there's going to be an emergence of leadership that is very concerned about the world

and what kind of world they want to create. There's so many positive things. Unfortunately, through some social media, through some mainstream media, we don't see that. We see the negative. but I guarantee you there are 10, 15, 20 positive things that are happening even as we're sitting here right now. And if we found a way to focus as much as we do on the negative, on that, we would see a better nation, a different behavior. Because they are wonderful things that are happening in schools. They're wonderful things that are happening in houses of worship and other places in our nation and in our businesses. There are new opportunities every day. So that's where my hope comes from.

I can't spend too much time on the negative. I want to finally spend time on the positive. Amplifying the positive, and also, as Andrea said, just this sense of love and shared humanity among us, making that a priority and continuing to find that place in our hearts to be able to demonstrate it every single day, even now. Thank you both so much. We really appreciate your time.

Martin Luther King, the third. Andrea Waters King. Thank you, guys. That is going to do it. Thank you, at home. watching Top Story. I am Sam Brock here in New York. Stay right there. More news for you. Right on the way.