Top Story with Tom Llamas - Thursday, April 16, 2026

Episode Date: April 17, 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.

Tonight, the breakthrough in the Middle East, the ceasefire that just began moments ago between Israel and Lebanon, which could be a major step towards a peace deal for Iran and the U.S. The two sides attacking each other up until the last moment. President Trump announcing the deal today and saying peace talks with Iran will restart this weekend. Are they any closer to a lasting deal now that the fighting on all sides has paused? Dangerous floodwaters and heavy winds prompting urgent evacuations in the Midwest. Trees toppled, power lines tangled, one man killed after he was struck by lightning. And the fans stranded at one baseball game while on the east, the record-setting heatwave were tracking it all tonight.

Tragedy in Virginia, police say a former rising star in politics once the state's lieutenant governor killed his wife, then himself, what were learning tonight. Spirit Airlines reportedly on the brink of collapse as fuel prices skyrocket. What happens if you already booked a ticket? And why Europe is warning, it's set to run out of the United. jet fuel in six weeks. AI takes Hollywood the first clips of a new movie using the technology to bring the actor Val Kilmer back to life.

A year after his death wrote this change, movies forever. Phone snatching gangs running rampant in London what undercover cops tell us they're doing to stop them and our conversation with the American tourist who chased down the thieves herself. The Artemis Heroes doing their first interview with our Al Roker since returning to Earth, what they told them about the fire they saw outside. their window upon re-entry. Plus, the new scam warning for desperate job seekers, what to do if an AI bot posing as a recruiter offers you a job. Top story. Starts right now. And good evening. We begin tonight with a breakthrough in the Middle East. That 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon,

now in effect, but violence on both sides raging until the very last moment. Multiple explosions. You see them here rocking southern Lebanon today after a series of Israeli strikes. The IDF released, this footage saying they bombed a Hezbollah stronghold. And this smoking rubble, the remains of the last bridge linking southern Lebanon to the rest of the country, completely destroyed by those attacks. In return, Hezbollah launching their own strikes, setting cars ablaze in northern Israel, and leading to this chaotic scene after an Israeli man was injured by rocket debris. But President Trump, remaining hopeful about the ceasefire deal, and optimistic it could pave the way for lasting peace between the U.S. and Iran, as we learned tonight a new round of peace talks could happen.

And as soon as this weekend, our Richard Engels covering it all and leads us off from Tel Aviv tonight. The fighting continued to the last moments. Israel firing at what it called Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and destroying the last bridge, connecting the north and south of the country. And Hezbollah launching rockets into northern Israel, both sides getting in last licks. Then at midnight local time, the 10-day ceasefire went into effect. Trump announced the breakthrough negotiated with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Ahun. We have a ceasefire with Israel and Lebanon, and that'll be great.

And they'll be meeting probably coming to the White House over the next four or five days. Netanyahu tonight called it historic, but added that thousands of Israeli troops will remain in Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, increasing the risk of renewed fighting. A Hezbollah official tonight said the group will abide by the ceasefire, but added it has the right to resist Israel's presence of the country. The ceasefire, if it holds, could help secure a lasting peace deal with Iran, open the Strait of Hormuz and lower gas prices. Iran has insisted that any peace deal with Washington also include a truce in Lebanon. To pressure Iran, the U.S. military is enforcing a partial naval blockade so far stop. more than a dozen ships from docking in or departing from Iranian ports.

President Trump said a new round of negotiations with Iran could take place this weekend, expected once again to be held in Pakistan. We're close to a deal. We're getting along very well with the new Iranian leaders. It really is its regime change. All right, Richard joins us tonight from Tel Aviv, Richard. The ceasefire just began. How have people in Lebanon been reacting?

Well, they are reacting, and we are already seeing that on the streets of the streets of Beirut. There are celebrations. People are waving flags and thousands and thousands of people are getting into their cars, even though it's the middle of the night. And they are heading south to see what, if anything, is left of their homes. And then before you go there, Richard, what are the other key issues still remaining in the negotiations if they happen this weekend between the U.S. and Iran? Well, I think there are three main issues, three real categories. And they are missiles, uranium and militias. Both President Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu don't want Iran to have

long-range missiles, the kind of missiles that were fired here at Israel. They don't want Iran to enrich uranium, particularly to high levels, and they don't want Iran to support militant groups, militias like Hezbollah in Lebanon. All right, Richard Engel, leading us off tonight. Richard, thank you. Back here at home, we're also tracking those urgent evacuations in the Midwest as Tense floods destroy roads and damaged cars. Multiple dams in Michigan on the verge of failure after days of rain and snow melt. All this has cities in the northeast reach record high spring temperatures. Emily Aketa has a story.

Tonight, families evacuating neighborhoods as floodwaters in and deep parts of the Midwest. Collapsed roadways swallowing this car today. I looked outside and there was heavy rain and then all of a sudden it was up to the doors of cars. You can hear rain and hail pelting vehicles in Kansas. Powerful winds toppling tree after tree there and tangling power lines. Cameras captured floodwaters in and outside of the Milwaukee Brewers game, stranding baseball fans leaving Wednesday. I'm about CAF high.

Claire Peterson from our NBC affiliate in Green Bay is on the ground in hard hit Wisconsin. People are putting sandbags around their businesses as more rain is. expected in this area come Friday. Dams in Michigan have been overwhelmed by unrelenting rain and snow melt. These waves are huge, man. The water level is just inches from topping the Sheboygan Dam, indicating a high probability of a need to evacuate. Authorities in Wisconsin say a man was struck by lightning while walking through the parking

lot last night, later dying at the hospital, while a fast-moving storm brought a rare water spout outside of Seattle. And for tens of millions out east today, in early heat wave, sending temperatures up to 30 degrees above average, reaching record highs today in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Norfolk. Baseball fans showing how they're getting by. A lot of water today. Sunscreen and water. It's so hot out there. Emily, it kind of joins us now, but I'll take it.

I don't know about you. Emily, you're out in an unusually hot New York City, right, after this brutal cold winter. But people are about to get some whiplash. Yeah, that's absolutely right. You can see people are taking advantage of the cool breeze coming off of the Hudson, even in this early blast of summer that we're seeing. People have been running along here, walking along here. A lot of people happy about it, but I think the frustration, what we're hearing from a lot of people in New York and across the region is the weather whiplash we've been experiencing and continue to experience. Don't put away the winter jackets yet because some of these temperatures, even though we've seen temperatures hit 90 in New York City and other. parts of other major cities along the east coast. By next week, parts of the northeast, we could see temperatures closer to freezing, Tom. That's crazy. All right. Emily, we thank you for that. Let's get right over to NBC News meteorologist Bill Kerrins. Bill, it was such a rough winter, and the spring's been pretty tough, too. It looks like it's going to get back to that cold weather.

Yeah, eventually. And with that cold, of course, we're going to get severe weather. And that's going to be the story, especially in the next 24 hours. Today we thought we'd get a little bit of a break. We've had isolated, strong storms in Missouri, now pushing into areas of. of Western Tennessee and Western Kentucky. We're also watching some isolated strong storms heading through areas of central New York. So watch out in the Syracuse area, eventually heading up there to Albany.

We'll watch these severe storms expiring as we go throughout this evening. Tomorrow, different story. Tomorrow's a dangerous day. We're going to get not just tornadoes, maybe even strong tornadoes. Areas of concern, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, especially Iowa and Wisconsin.

And if we get strong tornadoes tomorrow, and it'll be at this time right now, it'll be in areas that are highlighted here. city to Portage, Madison, La Crosse, Dubuque, Davenport, the Quad Cities. Those are the areas of greatest concern, Tom. And then walk us through the next several days. I mean, we have this nice heat now. We know it's all changing. Does it come back? Not like this. So the big change comes tomorrow. Denver, 76 degrees today. It's going to be snowing tomorrow morning. Then as this cold air does push in, we're going to get snow not just in Denver, but areas of Wyoming,

even North Dakota. So, you know, it's a really quick whiplash. Then as we go through the weekend, Saturday, the cold air pushes into areas of the Midwest. Chicago, high of only 57, Sunday. All of that cold air arrives on the East Coast. We will see snow on Sunday in northern portions of New England. Areas that we're hitting 80 to 85 degrees are going to have snow on Sunday. So there's a good reason why they tell you, Tom, don't plan stuff in the Northeast until we get to May because April can be a wild ride. It is a good tip.

All right, we thank you so much for that, Bill. We're going to turn out of that disturbing murder-suicide in Virginia. Police say the state's former lieutenant governor shot and killed his wife and then himself early this morning. Justin Fairfax and his wife Serena both found dead with gunshot wounds inside the Virginia home just after midnight. Police arriving to the scene after their teenage son called 911. We know both of their children were in the home at the time. It's terrible. But thankfully, they were unharmed. According to the police chief, the shootings come amid a complicated divorce as court documents reveal chilling details about the once rising political star and his

stunning fall from grace. Ryan Nobles is in Virginia with this story. Tonight, Virginia's former lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, a one-time rising Democratic star, dead, accused of shooting and killing his wife and then turning the gun on himself. Self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Police say Fairfax and his wife Serena were found dead from apparent gunshot wounds. The shootings reported by their teenage son. One of the children was the 911 caller just after midnight. This tragedy coming from. amidst a contentious divorce. Court records show Fairfax was ordered to vacate the family home, where the murder took place

by April 30th. The court had also awarded Serena full custody of their children, as she showed the court evidence that her husband had become a detached alcoholic. They were scheduled to appear in court on Monday for a trial to divide their assets. Former Lieutenant Governor Fairfax was recently served some paperwork associated with an upcoming court proceeding. That apparently led to this incident last night. According to court documents, Fairfax's struggles with mental health and alcohol abuse started when he was accused of sexual assault in 2019. At that time, Fairfax was in the midst of a bright political career. But then

a scandal broke. A photo with a caption attributed to then-Governor Ralph Northam showed a man dressed in blackface, the other in a Ku Klux Klan robe. Northam considered resigning, which would have led to Fairfax taking over. But then two different women accused the lieutenant governor of sexual assault, leading to calls for his resignation. Fairfax never left office and vehemently denied the accusations, but never recovered politically. How disappointing is it to see it come to an end this way? You never know what's going on in any family. It was an enormous talent, and I just can't imagine when his family's going through. Ryan Noble joins us now from Annandale, Virginia. So Ryan, police say Serena Fairfax, recently had cameras installed in their house? Yeah, Tom, it gives us some insight into the volatility

in this marriage. And police say that they actually use the footage from that camera to refute claims by Justin Fairfax from earlier in the year that his wife had assaulted him. Just one of the many details that we're learning from these court documents and from police in the wake of this tragedy. It certainly seemed as though this was a very difficult situation that came to an head here last night, Tom. Yeah, and then we're also, I know you've been doing some reporting out there. We're hearing from some of Justin Fairfax's friends. Yeah, Tom, you have to keep in mind just what a rising star Justin Fairfax was considered to be. I covered his initial first run for Attorney General and then the subsequent run for Lieutenant Governor when he won the party's

nomination and then won that seat. Many people in this area, many people in the community had very high hopes for his future. And to see it come crashing down in this fashion is something they're having a hard time dealing with. Listen to what they had to say. The just in Fairfax prior to those allegations in 2019, 2020 were, was a totally different person. He became reclusive in places where he had been so outgoing. He became defensive in places where he once would, you know, cover challenges with laughter. He was a totally different person. And there's no doubt, Tom, that he changed dramatically. after those sexual assault allegations in 2019.

And there were a lot of signs that there was trouble there. But unfortunately, he never got the help he needed. And that's part of the reason that we're in this situation today. Tom. All right. Ryan Noble's for us. Ryan, thank you. If you know someone that is in crisis, you can call or text 988 or visit 988 lifeline.org.

All right. Now to a potential major shakeup in the airline industry. We're following reports tonight that Spirit Airlines, where so many travels turn for cheap flights could suddenly shut down within days. So what happens if you already booked a flight with the budget airline? Here's Christine Romans. Growing concerns tonight, struggling budget airline's spirit may soon be gone for good. Bloomberg News and CNBC reporting the company could be liquidated as soon as this week.

Unfortunately, it's looking as if the time is running out for spirit. Spirit tonight telling NBC News, quote, we don't comment on market rumors and speculation. The budget airline is in bankruptcy for the second time in a year and a half. And now skyrocketing jet fuel prices pose a new challenge. Today, oil prices are 41% higher than they were when the war in Iran began, and jet fuel prices have nearly doubled. For airlines, fuel is typically the second biggest cost after labor. Now, a warning Europe could run out in just six weeks. Delta, United, JetBlue, and Southwest have already raised their fees for checked baggage. United and Delta also cut some flights from their schedule.

And airfares are already rising into the busy summer travel season. Travel experts say, without Spirit, they could go even higher. Even if you've never flown on Spirit, you want them in the market to help put pressure on those other larger carriers. It actually helps keep prices cheap. Spirit tonight, still booking tickets and operating flights. Our expert says if you already have a ticket, don't cancel it. That could forfeit a potential refund if the company is liquidated. Tom, with all this in the backdrop, what do you do if you're trying to buy tickets for the important summer travel season?

Look, experts tell us, go ahead and buy those tickets sooner rather than later. They're expecting airfares will continue to rise. Don't buy the basic economy or the lowest, lowest, lowest economy fare on some of these airlines, because you might not be able to get a refund or even a little credit if prices were to fall. So buy the tickets now. If you're not buying basic economy and it does fall in the future, you could get a credit. But don't count on it. Tom? Okay.

That's good advice there, Christine. Thank you. We're back in a moment with Val Kilmer returning to the big screen with the help of AI. The late actor brought back to life in a new film. The questions it's raising in Hollywood tonight and what it could mean for the future of movie making. We're going to watch Chloe's report and talk about it in the back end, plus the Artemis crew opening up about their mission around the moon, what they told our Al Roker about the historic journey and what comes next,

and the wild scene on the streets of New York, have you seen this, an alleged thief chased down by an officer on horseback? We'll show you that video ahead on Top Story. We're back down with a new film sparking controversy in Hollywood. The late Val Kilmer brought back to life on screen using AI. The new film debuting its trailer at, Cynicon, sparking a debate over technology and consent and whether actors can live on after death. NBC's Chloe Malas has more.

Don't fear the dead and don't fear me. Deny a new role for the late Val Kilmer brought to life with cutting edge technology. The first trailer for as deep as the grave, showing an AI-generated version of the actor at different ages, playing a priest and spiritual guide in the American Southwest. Filmmakers say the project was years in the making and that Kilmer himself signed on before his death last year. Before he passed, he conferred this blessing directly to his children to continue this storytelling that he wanted to do. Hi, my name's Val. The film built from archival footage.

The photographs, recordings, imagery. That's part of the reason that the realism is so good. In 2022's Top Gun Maverick, filmmakers used AI to help recreate his voice after it was damaged by throat cancer. One last thing. Who's the better pilot? It comes as Hollywood is increasingly divided over the use of AI. What is your take on this generative AI version of Val Kilmer? I think it's unsettling. I think there's all kinds of possibilities of abuse with this,

and I think the industry is going to have to be vigilant about it. The filmmakers say their goal to set a standard as AI rapidly changes the industry. AI can be destructive if it's not used properly. I would say AI is an ally, not an adversary, and you're in control of it. A familiar face in a completely new era of filmmaking. Tom, there has been such a debate over AI in Hollywood over the last couple years. It has been a central focus of the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild negotiations this year, and it was several years ago during those strikes, respectively.

I mean, I think what you're seeing here, though, really is a blueprint for families in Hollywood who want to try to monetize the likeness of a celebrity posthumously. And that is what Val Kilmer's family is doing. They say that they are honoring Kilmer's wishes to be a part of this film and that he was interested in various storytelling mediums. And they feel like generative AI is the way to do that. But as you heard from Brian Lowry's status, this is a slippery slope. And Hollywood and the people who make the rules around what happens in Hollywood, they really have to remain vigilant, as he says, because in a way, who knows what could come next.

Okay, Chloe, thank you for that. For more on this story, let's bring in NBC News senior Hollywood reporter, Rebecca Keegan. Rebecca, welcome the top story. I know you're making your debut here. Very excited to have you on tonight. So I want to establish a few things to make sure the viewers understand this. I know Chloe reported it, but this can't be lost. One, Val Kilmer had signed on to this movie before he passed away, and two, his family agreed to

all this, right? But what does this mean for movies going forward? Because I would think there is an actor out there that possibly would have liked to have this role if it was available. Yes, that's such an interesting point. Val Kilmer or AI Val Kilmer getting a role means that potentially a living human actor doesn't get that role. This is one of the issues that the Screen Actors Guild is taking up in its talks with studios in its contract negotiations, which pick up April 27. What does this mean for sort of working humans? What's interesting here is this does seem to be,

as the filmmakers described it, a ethical use of AI in the sense that they obtained Kilmer's consent, but there are all these sort of ramifications for other people in the industry. You know, and I guess we don't know yet because it's just the trailer, the fan reaction to this, right? Because I love Val Kilmer. I'm a huge Val Kilmer fan. I love so many of his films.

I wonder if I can watch this film, and maybe you know this, maybe you've seen more clips than I have, but can you not think like, oh, wow, that's Val Kimmer, but he passed away a year ago and he's now in this movie. I mean, do you get lost in that, or is the movie so good, is the AI so good that it doesn't make you think of that? Well, I will say I was in the room where the filmmakers premiered this footage here at CinemaCon,

which is this movie trade industry convention in Las Vegas. And there were audible gasps and applause at the life-like quality of Kilmer in this footage. Of course, we're only seeing a few minutes of it. The filmmakers say that this AI Val Kilmer has an hour and 17 minutes of screen time, whether this sort of illusion sustains, I think we'll have a lot to do with the story and with the quality of the other actors who are working opposite Kilmer. There are a lot of factors here. But I think you're right, you know, how audiences respond to this is going to have a big part in how widely adopted it is. I got to think there's got to be huge sensitivities because, you know, we see those stories come out.

You've reported on this, I'm sure, that Hollywood is not making as many movies, especially in the L.A., California area, even in the United States anymore. And more people are looking to their phones, they're not going to the movie theaters, or not watching television, right? There's a lot of competition for the eyeballs out there. So I got to think if you're a working actor or you're a producer or your director, budgets are tight, and you want any kind of job you can get. And again, this, I don't know. I don't know what this is. I guess in some respects, it could create new movies, but in other respects, again, will it take roles? Yeah, I mean, one of the things that the Screen Actors Guild is pushing for in its talk with studios is the so-called Tilly Norwood tax.

You may remember Tilly Norwood as the AI actress who sort of made her debut quite controversially last fall. What SAG After wants is for studios to have to pay as much to use a Tilly Norwood or an AI. I Val Kilmer as they would to use a real human actor in their work. That would be one way of sort of making the economic impact of this sustainable for actors. Right, right. But the family gets it, right? And that other working actor, it's unclear what happens to him. Anyways, Rebecca Kagan, so great to have you on our show. Thanks for being on tonight. I'm sure we're going to talk a lot more in the future. Coming up tonight here on Top Story, still ahead. The new warning tonight for anyone searching for a job. Scammers now posing as real recruiters looking to steal important

and even money, what you need to know. Plus, a rare Titanic relic set to go up for sale what it is and why it could fetch nearly half a million dollars. We'll be right back. We're back down with President Trump tonight on the road, touting his economic policies at a tax day roundtable event in Las Vegas. It comes as the cost of gas still remains stubbornly high nationwide because of the Iran war, a gallon costing an average of $4.9. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez is traveling with the president. He joins us live tonight from Las Vegas.

Gabe, great to see you there. Today, the S&P 500 posted a new record closed, but the impacts on everyday Americans' wallets are still very real. So what's the president's messaging tonight? Why is he there in Vegas? Well, Tom, the president just landed here in Vegas a few moments ago. We're expecting him to speak now any moment. And actually, just a few moments ago, Tom, I spoke with Treasury Secretary Scott Besson, who is here. He will be here with the president. And Scott Besson is saying, look, the president is focused on the economy.

I asked him, though, with everything else going on, with the war in Iran, with the president answering questions today about the Pope and escalating that feud, what does he say to Americans and even Republicans who are concerned about the impacts of all of this on the midterms over the next few months? He brought it back to, look, he thinks that gas prices are on their way down. He says fuel prices are down over the last several days, and he is sticking by his assertion yesterday, Tom, that he expects gas prices to be backed down around $3 a gallon by the end of the summer. I also asked him, you know, why is the markets, they do appear to be agreeing with him.

He says the markets are forward-looking, and he's saying that this president, as opposed to his predecessor, is linking national security to the economy. So the president today, Tom, at this event, expected to tout this policy of no tax on tips. It is something that is very significant here in Nevada, a state so closely linked to the hospitality and However, Nevada also a state that is dealing with those high gas prices as well. So a mixed economic message here, the president trying to stay on track. And then Gabe, you spoke to people at the gas pump today? Yeah, that's right.

We were here a little earlier, and there was a lot of concern. We went to several gas stations, approaching $5 a gallon for unleaded gas. One station was at $5.09 for a gallon of regular unleaded. Here's what one of those Americans filling up their tanks told me. earlier today. How surprising has it been to see these gas prices rise this quickly? That's been a big surprise. I know with the war and everything that's going on. It's kind of hurting. A lot of stuff that goes on over here. So we just try to make ends meet, you know, try to do what we have to do to survive. I also did speak with the Trump supporter here coming into this venue, Tom. And she did say that she is

supportive of his no tax on tips policy, make a huge difference for her small. business. That is something that the president hopes to hit with this audience here tonight before he heads to Arizona tomorrow. All right, Gabe Gutieres, there in Las Vegas, traveling with the president, Gabe, thank you. Time now for Top Stories News Feed and what else is happening around this country. We start with President Trump again nominating a new CDC director. Her name is Dr. Erica Schwartz. Here she is. She served as Deputy Surgeon General during the president's first term. The CDC has been without a permanent director since last summer when the previous leader was forced out following a dispute over vaccine policy.

Also in Washington, new developments in the legal battle over President Trump's new White House Baldwin, a federal judge issuing another order, halting construction on the $400 million project. But here's the catch. He's allowing work on an underground bunker and other national security facilities at the site. Still, the president is criticizing the ruling on social media

and the administration has already filed an appeal. And here in New York, wild video of an alleged thief getting chased down by police on horseback. Look at this. The horse galloping on sidewalks and in the road going after a woman who police stole a purse, the officer finally catching up with the suspect arresting her. She's now facing multiple charges. A life jacket worn by a survivor of the Titanic is set to go for auctions.

Look at this. It belonged to a first-class passenger who made it out alive when the luxury liner sank more than 114 years ago. The life jacket also signed by other survivors who were on the same boat. The auction house says the artifact is expected to fetch up to nearly half a million dollars. Incredible. Okay, we're going to move on now to a new warning about scams targeting people looking for jobs. Scammers using AI to craft real-looking recruitment messages, something sometimes impersonating real recruiters,

and then asking for personal information, even money. Experts warn it's only getting more elaborate. NBC's Aaron McLaughlin has the details. When Nick Russell lost his job as a lead gaming producer, Russell, like he said, tens of thousands of tech workers caught in the recent wave of layoffs immediately headed to LinkedIn. I threw up on LinkedIn that I was on the job hunt. Russell says he was inundated with emails and messages from recruiters offering to help. Some of them legitimate, but many of them, sophisticated traps powered by AI. I responded to all of them because they looked like legitimately.

Were you duped initially? Yeah, of course I was. It were very convincing. Russell showed us one of those scam emails. The approach eerily authentic, claiming to be a recruiter acting on behalf of an actual entertainment company. Many of the details scraped from Russell's LinkedIn profile. But the telltale red flag, the email extension used didn't match those on the company website. He says other scammers would then ask for money in exchange for resume help or other services that they didn't provide. And while Russell says he was quick to catch on, others can't say the same. I got scammed and lost everything. Just got scammed by an interview. One recruiter trying to raise awareness demonstrates how easy it can be to create these scams.

Watch how quickly I can build a job seeker scam using AI. Say you can customize the resumes, make up a couple of testimonials to look really good, and have it ready to run. I mean, it was up and running in 10 minutes. It is the Wild West. You have to be careful. You have to be cautious. Mark Rash is a cybersecurity expert. You're getting people who are really hard up.

They're very desperate. And the scammers offer them the one thing they don't have, which is hope. How successful are these scammers? Well, in terms of absolute numbers, they're not that successful. But what AI allows them to do is it allows them to hit hundreds or thousands of people a day. A numbers game that Rash says is very difficult for law enforcement to stop. So you essentially need to conduct your own investigation anytime you're approached for a job? Not just for a job.

your approach for information, anytime you're approach for money, anytime your approach to give your social security number, your banking information, any information that somebody calls you and asks you for, you need to be suspicious. All right. Aaron joins us now. We heard some tips there. What other tips do you have for people that are looking for jobs? Because he's right. I mean, the only thing they have is hope, so they want this to be real. Yeah, that's absolutely right. Tom. We reached out to LinkedIn for comment. They wrote back pointing to a number of safety features they have on their website, including verification badges for real life recruiters.

So they're saying be on the lookout for those badges. Other platforms have them as well. But the bottom line is this problem is expected to get exponentially worse as AI continues to advance. So you've got to be very careful, as you heard, the experts stay there, about what you're sharing online. Okay. Aaron McLaughlin, thanks for bringing us that one. As we know that historic Artemis crew is back home and safe and sound after traveling more than 600,000 miles through space and getting a look at parts of the moon we've never seen before. Our Al Roker sat down with the incredible team about their mission,

and what comes next? From the launch at Kennedy Space Center, the crew of Artemis II now bound for the moon. Humanity's next great voyage begins. To splash down off San Diego. We launched as friends, and we came back as best friends. A stellar mission for Reed Weissman, Victor Glover, Christina Cook, and Jeremy Hanson,

astronauts becoming household names here on Earth. The crew describing how it felt coming home, breaking through Earth's atmosphere, the capsule's heat shield, protecting them from 5,000-degree temperatures. We were all holding our breath. We'd heard about the heat shield, and so this moment is coming. And it happens.

What was happening as we were watching you come through? I haven't spent a lot of time processing all of this, so I could tell that we were inside a fireball, But Reed and I had panoramic things. We really did. And the very first thing I thought was, is it supposed to be that big? And it was a lot of fire out there. But then there was a red glow in the orange, a very distinct red and bigger plume.

I was hyper sensitive to everything, every noise, every sensation. That hatch opens up. What was that like? It was visceral. I was completely overcome, and I just screamed. I was so happy and just a visceral emotional reaction to not only be, being home, but people there coming to us and bringing us out, just unspeakable joy. Their trip, the first to take in the full expanse of the moon's far side, sharing spectacular

snapshots of the blue marble that's our home, like this one, just peeking over the cratered face of the lunar surface. You know, when we saw the pictures that you guys had sent back, and I know the first time I saw the Grand Canyon. I remember thinking, this, no matter what picture I saw, it does not do justice to it. So when you look at the far side of the moon, I mean, what we saw is what we saw, but what, how do you even describe it? To me, the most profound moment seeing the moon wasn't necessarily when we were on the full far side. We were so close that the whole thing was just incredible, in your face, just dramatic. But what surprising,

me was when we saw the moon as we were getting close, maybe half the way there, and we saw part of the near side and part of the far side. And the moon still looked pretty much like it looks in the night sky, a little bit bigger, pretty much how it looks from Earth in terms of size and gazing at it against the blackness. But it wasn't the same shapes. It was the first real evidence that we were somewhere completely different than where we had started. It wasn't just our own. It was its own. And we were seeing it in a new way. The crew in close quarters aboard their integrity capsule seemed to have grown even closer. Looking at the video, you guys seem pretty comfortable climbing over all over each other.

Yeah, especially for you, Jeremy. You're the biggest one of the group. Yeah, I'm sort of like a ladder for the capsule to help them to get around. We got really effective and efficient at it, you know, just announcing where we were heading. And, you know, I'm going to be down here by your feet. I don't need you to move. Or can you move? A poignant moment, naming a new crater for Commander Reid White. Leiceman's late wife, Carol.

She was an amazing human being, and she's the mother of my two daughters, and like, what man on this planet deserves a gift like that to have your crew be so thoughtful and to do something so caring. The crew bringing back lessons learned for the next trip. We really wanted this to be about humanity going on this journey with us, and that idea about togetherness. Everything in that vehicle was a four-person activity minimum. And to see that actually resonate with people was very surprised. A historic moon mission now complete. Al Roker, NBC News, Houston. Coming up on top story, the deadly attack in Ukraine, Russian forces carrying out the biggest aerial assault in weeks, the latest on those strikes. Plus, how London has become a major hub for phone

thieves, are Ralph Sanchez with undercover police as they try to crack down on phone snatchet schemes? You're going to see how they work. Stay with us. We're back now with the crime crackdown in California, the city of San Francisco reporting the lowest crime rate in two decades, seen a 25% decrease in crime overall with a significant drop in car break-ins and robbery. It follows a nationwide trend, with a national crime rate plummeting nearly 54%. Joining us tonight is San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. DA Jenkins, thank you so much for joining Top Story tonight. I first want to ask you about this significant milestone.

San Francisco had become a city that people were fearful to visit, fearful to live in because of the crime. How do you explain to people how you and others were able to turn it around? Good evening. First and foremost, the voters made the historic decision to recall our previous DA, who they felt was far too progressive and not doing his job. And I was later appointed and then elected to make sure that as prosecutors, we did what we are supposed to do, enforce our laws. All crime was illegal in San Francisco again. And we've been able to. to work with our police department to make sure that offenders are held accountable. Yeah, I do want to talk about some of the tactics that work and some that didn't.

Take us back a few years. Maybe it's more than five, but you would know better than me because this is your town. The no cash bail, the problems with cash bail, where did you see that, and how much did that play a role in you think crime rising in places like San Francisco? In my view, the prior DA took the position not only that he wouldn't seek cash bail, but that he would only ask for no bail holds in a very limited number of cases. I came in saying, I don't necessarily need to rely on cash bail, but I'm going to expand the universe for which we view people as a public safety risk and ask that they be held in custody if they are committing dangerous crimes

or are chronic offenders of crime. Before, I know I'm asking you a lot of questions about the past, but I think it's good to sort of set up what's changed now in the president, hopefully in the future. A city like San Francisco with so much. much wealth and so much new money. You have Silicon Valley right there. How do you explain how things got so out of control? When you don't enforce your laws, people understand that and they take advantage of that. And so we had criminals coming into our city who understood that we had a

DA taking a very lenient approach, that our police force was struggling with feeling that their work was going to be acknowledged by the district attorney. And so they began to continue to further that criminal behavior across our city. It's remarkable when you actually tell them that you're going to enforce the law and hold them accountable, that they listen to that as well. And so over time, as we proved that through prosecutions and arrests, they are beginning to learn. And I think that's why we're continuing to see crime reporting be significantly reduced. Not everyone is loving what you're doing, right? You've faced some criticism already for some of your tactics. Just last week, we had this high-profile crime after a teen through a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI, CEO.

Sam Altman's mansion, and the public defender accused you of going too far by charging the suspect with attempted murder. What do you say to your critics? I say that my job is to keep San Franciscans and those who work here and visit here safe, and that is my commitment. We will take a balanced approach to making sure that while we hold offenders accountable, we maintain a fair and equitable justice system. But at most, and first, I have to keep people safe and I will do that job. That is the key here. Yeah, no, I hear you. How do you maintain sort of the trend that you're seeing that San Francisco, the people that live there, are pointing to?

I was just there for the Super Bowl in the Bay Area. I mean, I had noticed a change. We had done some stories in the past couple years and in places like Oakland, which I know it's not San Francisco, but in the Bay Area, and this was covered widely because it was happening to news crews. We did a story about the crime in Oakland, in the Bay Area, and our news crew was. the victim of a crime just a couple of hours after that, and this was during the day. I was sort of taken back by what I was seen in San Francisco in Oakland. How do you hold on to the progress you've seen so far? We cannot become complacent with the progress that we have made.

We have to continue to ensure that we have our foot on the gas moving safety forward. We have to continue partnerships. Quite frankly, my office was not in a partnership with the police department or the mayor's office prior to my appointment in 2022. and we now have one of the strongest partnerships any of us have seen in decades. So needing to make sure that we're continuing to work together on these issues

and making sure again that those who are elected leaders in this city are on board with that as well. The president points a lot to the nationwide crime rate and we could debate whether the president has any role in the way crime comes down. Do you think it's a shift in just mentality from citizens as well because the president does have a big megaphone

and he talks about that, he campaigned on that. Do you think the mentality and the mentality and people talking about being tough on crime? Is that one of the reasons we're seeing the drop nationwide? I think we're seeing the drop nationwide because voters, certainly here in California, have figured out what the alternative looks like, both in the Bay Area and in Los Angeles, and have said that they want a prosecutor who's going to enforce the laws. And so now that we have district attorneys around this state and this country doing the fundamental work that we are supposed to do, I believe that's why we are seeing crime rates.

drop because we're effectively not only doing our job, but messaging so that people understand that these are not a pavements for criminal behavior. You mentioned the police, and you know, you talk about this sort of being a team effort and working in partnership with law enforcement, but it doesn't end there. You also have to, you know, present your cases in front of judges. What are you finding when you're presenting your cases? We have had a significant struggle with judges in our courthouse here. I would say that is still one of the last remaining issues that we face with respect to public safety. Many of these judges have been excessively lenient on people who commit crime here, and I have been very vocal about that.

Their responsibility is to ensure that there is public safety and that people who are dangerous to our streets are held in custody. And so that is a battle that is still ongoing here. But each and every day, we're still, even despite that, being able to make progress, thankfully. D.A. Brooke Jenkins, we thank you for coming on Top Story tonight. We appreciate this conversation. Thank you so much, Tom. All right. We're going to turn now and head to London, where police are warning about a phone snatching gang running rampant in the city. NBC's Ralph Sanchez shows us how thieves target their victims and what undercover cops are doing to try and stop it. On the streets of London, a game of cat and mouse between British police and gangs, officers say, are responsible for an epidemic of phone snatchet. day, hundreds of devices are stolen, often by thieves like this, using high-powered e-bikes

to target victims on the street, leading to dangerous chases like this in the heart of the British Capitol. Oh, police! Get out of the f***! Could have killed us? Could they kill the member of the public? From this control room in the city's West End, the Metropolitan Police are intensifying efforts against the gangs, using drones and London's vast network of CCTV cameras to target

hotspots. So in 2024, there were 80,000 reported phone thefts in London. So it is a big problem, which is why we've got this real focus on that now. We join an undercover unit that's part of the hunt in central London. Tell us about phone snatching. You're dealing with a lot of that right now? Yeah, it's right at the moment. Yeah. We're getting a lot of good arrests at the moment for it, but yeah, doing what we can. As the sun sets and we pass the British Parliament, officers explain how thieves cover their tracks. What they'll do is if they can, they will wrap tinfoil tightly around the phone, which will then stop that phone being able to transmit signals,

so you won't be able to call it or anything. And if you try and track that phone, because we'll quickly try and log into people's file my iPhone, it won't allow us to track it. And then suddenly... So we have lights and sirens on, and we are racing down the strand. of the busiest roads in central London.

The call turns out to be a false alarm, but days later the same unit makes an arrest nearby. Phone theft is now a global business, with devices stolen in London, resold in Asia, Africa, and even the US. They're exporting a lot at a time and making an awful lot of money out of that. So this isn't petty theft. This is a major international criminal network. Absolutely. London phone thefts have surged since the pandemic. But police say their efforts, are driving the numbers back down.

There's lots of work going on to see if we can dismantle these networks. Snatchers often target tourists at major landmarks like Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. Elizabeth Lopez Aguilar and her boyfriend visited in December on a birthday trip. She was shooting a TikTok by the London eye when a snatcher pounced. But there was something the thief didn't know. We compete in different Sprit level and Olympic level distance races here in the States. Iguilar and her boyfriend gave chase. We start running after him.

He's way faster than I am. So he was able to catch him, grabbed him by the arm, and I was able to get the phone out of his hand. This guy really picked the wrong American tourists to try to rob, huh? Wrong people. We were an off season for training, but I guess we still had it in us.

One stolen phone recovered. Many more to go. With that, Raph Sanchez joins us now from London. This is not new to many viewers in the United States. because we've seen this in some big cities, especially here in New York City. In your report about how there's now a global business in stolen phones, walk us through how these gangs make their money. So Tom, police here say that the low-level thieves who actually do the phone snatching, then sell those phones on to organize criminal groups for about $400 a piece. Those groups then sell them abroad at a higher price, but still way cheaper than what you would pay in the Apple store.

So this is a very profitable business for the criminals involved. And one thing police say would make a big difference is if the tech companies would make it so that these phones, once they're reported stolen, can be fully locked down, rendered inoperable because then, of course, they couldn't be sold on for profit. Tom. Raf, Sanchez first, Ralph, great report. We appreciate it. Staying overseas now with Top Stories Global Watch and a check of what else is happening around the world. We're going to start in Ukraine where Russian forces just unleashed their biggest aerial attack in weeks. Video captured the moment a drone hit this building in Kiev, causing a fiery explosion.

In all, officials say Russia fired nearly 700 missiles and drones, killing at least 16 people and wounding more than 100 others. Moscow claims the attack was retaliation for Ukraine's deep strikes inside of Russian territory. In Ecuador, a bus burst into flames after going off the road and plunging into a ravine. emergency responders say 11 passengers died and at least 20 others were injured. Here you can see the aftermath of the wreck as crews worked to put out the fire and searched through the rubble. Investigators now looking into what caused that crash. And an update on the story we've been following out of Germany, rescuers are working to save a sick humpback whale that got stranded again off the coast of the Baltic Sea. We told you a few weeks ago when it got stuck the first time and teams are now planning to use air cushions to lift the animal and get it out to deeper.

water. Experts say the whale may have lost its way while searching for food or migrating. All right, when we come back here on top story, a follow-up on that young fan we introduced you to last night. Today, he actually got to meet his hockey hero, that heartfelt moment. Next. Finally, tonight, a follow-up to an incredible story we first brought you last night, a young hockey fan overcome with emotion after his favorite player gifted him a stick. Well, today, the two got a chance to meet in person. Take a look. TV timeout. Dustin Wolf saw the sign that the little boy was holding. It said, Wolf, you are my idol. His name is Cade Heisler. He's 10 years old. Cade Heisler is having a whirlwind week. The 10-year-old went viral for this incredible reaction after his favorite hockey player, Dustin Wolf, sent his stick into the stands for Cade to keep.

The organization does it better than anybody else. Today, with that stick in hand, Kate arrived at the Calgary Flames rink, excited. It may be a little nervous, ready to meet his favorite player face to face. What's up, buddy? How are you? Oh, thank you so much. Wolf turning 25 today and taking time on his birthday to say hello and sign that stick. Thank you. A dream come true for this young hockey goalie who has faced bullying on the ice before. I'm a smaller goalie too, and he proves that size doesn't matter. If you're short, it would probably can still cover the same amount. skills on display the night that Wolf first connected with Cade. But Wolf was so focused on the game. It wasn't until he came back into the locker room that he got to see Cade's reaction

and the moment that had gone viral. It's just the pure emotion, love, and the happiness. It goes a long way. To take them a couple seconds out of your day to make someone else's better, that's what we want to do. What an incredible couple of days for Cade. All right, we thank you so much for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yamah. Stay right there. More news on the way.