Top Story with Tom Llamas - Thursday, February 29, 2024

Episode Date: March 1, 2024

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

Tonight, President Biden and former President Trump dueling it out at the southern border. Trump saying the country's illegal immigration crisis is, quote, like a war, saying he'll conquer the issue like a military operation. Trump tying the migrant crisis to a spike in crime in the U.S. despite little evidence indicating the connection. President Biden slamming lawmakers for plain partisan politics after a border package was killed in the Senate. In a surprise move, the president offering an olive branch to Trump to join him in finding a solution. Can the situation realistically get fixed ahead of the 2024 election? Also tonight, dying for aid, Israeli forces opening fire on crowds surrounding an aid convoy. Israel claiming most casualties were trampled as crowds stormed the trucks,

but Gaza's health ministry calling the incident a massacre. The victims shot with bullets. as the death toll surpasses 30,000 since the war started. The chaotic and bloody situation pushing hopes for a ceasefire further into limbo. Deadly wildfire grows of massive inferno in Texas exploding into the largest blaze in the state's history. Residents salvaging what they can from the piles of rubble, crews racing against the clock before dangerous high winds return. Where is Kate?

Kate Middleton putting her royal duties on hold as she recovered. covers from abdominal surgery. But the Internet swirling with speculation after the Princess of Wales disappears from the public eye. The conspiracy theories forcing the tight-lipped palace to finally release a statement. Plus, old school rules.

Half of the global population is in the hands of leaders in their 70s and 80s, but it wasn't always the norm, with age at the top of mind for U.S. voters. How old is too old? And Dad comes home, an Army National Guardsman, giving his kids the surprise of a lifetime.

The touching moments after months of separation and his inspiring message to other service members. Top story starts right now. And good evening, former President Trump and President Biden both at the southern border. And tonight, President Biden, with some political jiu-jitsu, making an offer to Trump.

Immigration, of course, taking center stage in the lead-up to the 2024 election. The likely presidential frontrunners argued their case for who's to blame for the migrant crisis and what can be done about it. President Trump came right out of the gate, taking a militaristic stance as he highlighted a surge in migrant crime, a claim not supported by national data, but Trump was quick to point the finger at Biden. The United States is being overrun by the Biden migrant crime. It's a new form of vicious violation to our country. And to be clear, there have been some high-profile crimes recently done by migrants that have been accused of it.

Just 300 miles away, though, in Brownsville, President Biden slammed congressional Republicans for failing to pass the bipartisan border agreement, accusing them of bowing to Trump's wishes. But in a surprise move, Biden making a direct appeal to Trump. Instead of playing politics with the issue, why do we just get together and get it? Here's a look at the border numbers from 2018 until now. It's hard to see, but there's been a surge since Biden took office. You can see that in the graphic, though, if you look closely. And that's what's driving discontent among Americans. An NBC poll finding an increase in voter support over Trump's handling and securing the border compared to Biden, who saw a nine-point decrease over his four years in office. We'll be breaking it all down, but first we start with NBC's Gabe Gutierrez

on the southern border. Criticism over his handling of the immigration crisis, President Biden making his second trip to the southern border while in office. It's real simple. It's time to act. Arriving in Brownsville, Texas, blasting House Republicans for tanking a bipartisan border security bill at the urging of former President Trump. It's the toughest set of border security reforms we've ever seen in this country. It's time for the speakers and some of my Republican friends in Congress were blocking this bill to show a little spine. The president with this message directly for Mr. Trump. Join me, or I'll join you in telling the Congress to pass this bipartisan border security bill.

We can do it together. Earlier, the Republican frontrunner landed about 300 miles away in Eagle Pass, Texas. This is a Biden invasion over the past three years. Arguing President Biden could end the crisis on his own, slamming what he calls Mr. Biden's lax border policies for causing it. So we had remained in Mexico. Remember that? You can't come into our country, and we had no more catch and release. Our catch and release was we released them in Mexico. Mr. Trump pointing to recent high-profile crimes allegedly committed by migrants, including the murder of Georgia nursing student Lake and Riley. Joe Biden will never say Lake and Riley's name, but we will say it and we will remember. We're not going to forget her.

An NBC News review of available crime data shows crime has dipped in cities that receive the most migrants. Should President Biden have gone to a different part of the border? I believe so. I think it probably would have been best to go somewhere that's, you know, very busy, like Arizona or California. A record 8.6 million migrants have crossed into the U.S. since President Biden took office. The Border Patrol union telling us Mr. Biden should not have reversed Trump border policies. They were very effective for us as Border Patrol agents and secure the border. In NBC News, Paul shows 57 percent of Americans say Mr. Trump can best secure the border. Just 22% say Mr. Biden will.

Beyond the political split screen, desperate migrants in Mexico wait to cross. Here in Brownsville, Monica from El Salvador, waits for a bus with her three-year-old son. She tells us the journey was hard and that she spent four months waiting in Mexico for an appointment for an initial asylum screening through an app on her phone.

Now, she's off to meet family in Houston as the border battle in Washington intensifies. Gabe Gutierrez joins us tonight live from Brownsville, Texas. Gabe, I want to ask you about that move from President Biden today that surprised so many, essentially offering an olive branch to former President Trump and saying, let's work on this together. Do we know what went behind that sort of offer and what the sort of political play is there? Yeah, Tom, that was a bit of a surprise, you know, a campaign advisor. And I should note that this was an official trip, but a campaign advisor told NBC News that President Biden was coming here to the border.

in hot. He essentially wanted to really create this contrast between himself and former President Trump, and they wanted to maximize the political impact of this one week before the state of the Union. But Tom, you've been noticing in the last few days and weeks, ever since that bipartisan border bill stalled in Congress, that Biden administration has really taken a much, much more aggressive stance on immigration than it ever has before. But yeah, that moment today when the president extending that olive branch to Trump, a little bit of a surprise. He certainly wants to make it seem like he's doing all he can to solve this migrant crisis here at the border time. And then, Gabe, you know, a Monmouth University poll came out earlier this week, or might have been last week.

It had immigration as the top issue for Americans heading into this election. But it also found that just under half of the public had heard a lot about the immigration negotiations that were happening in Congress. and yet nearly half of respondents said both parties were equally responsible for blocking that bill. So there's, when it comes to the American public, a lot that is unknown about that bill. And yet we heard the president talking a lot about the bill and sort of blaming politics and Republicans for part of this crisis, correct? Yeah, Tom, it's going to be a fight for messaging over the coming months as we head into this election. We had to this main stretch over the coming months. And look, the Biden administration for a while has not talked about the border.

Democrats generally want to talk about other things. The campaign has said it wants to focus on reproductive rights. But in those polls you mentioned, immigration has always been a very high priority for Republicans. Now Democrats are seeing an opportunity that this bipartisan border bill has stalled. And so they're trying to get in on this. And here in Texas, Tom, it is going to be a huge issue in the coming months. It could go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Just today, a federal judge temporarily blocked a controversial law here in Texas

that would have allowed local police to arrest migrants suspected of coming into the state illegally. Now, the governor has said he will appeal, but as I mentioned, that could end up in the U.S. Supreme Court, and this issue of immigration will continue, no doubt, until November. Tom. All right, Gabe. Thank you for that. Now to the latest on the war in Gaza, where Palestinians waiting for food aid were killed. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, more than 100 lost their lives in this.

One Palestinian eyewitness saying Israeli soldiers fired on those seeking aid before trucks even arrived. But Israel's military refuting this saying many were killed by an initial stampede. It's coming as many Palestinians are on the brink of famine tonight. NBC's Ralph Sanchez has the latest. Tonight, bodies carried away on donkey carts after a deadly encounter, while Palestinians gathered to receive humanitarian aid. But how it happened is in dispute. Our camera crew was there before 4 a.m.

as hundreds of people came to the Gaza coast waiting desperately for the delivery of food. Israel's military saying this drone footage was taken soon after, showing a crowd surging around aid trucks. A Palestinian eyewitness tells NBC news, Israeli forces started firing at people gathering in front of a checkpoint before the trucks arrived, and kept shooting later as the crowd rushed towards the aid. The Hamasran Health Ministry says more than a hundred people were killed. Hospitals flooded with gunshot victims.

But Israel's military saying many died not from Israeli bullets, but in a stampede around the trucks, and that Israeli troops only opened fire later at a specific group threatening their position. Do you have any evidence to support your claim that this crowd posed a threat to Israeli troops? If you approach on soldiers, in a war zone and there is a threat and they fire warning shots in the air.

The best thing to do is to turn around and walk away. And tonight, the UN warning that one in four, Ghazans, are just a step away from famine. Musa is six months old, barely older than this war, but in his tiny body, signs of a short life with little food. In a sense, he's lucky. Doctors say eight other children died this week from malnutrition and dehydration, all at this one hospital. Not far away, Samia El Mastri trying to feed her kids by frying pancakes out of barley feed meant for donkeys. Her children dodging bullets to find firewood. Words can't describe the

tragedy we're living in, she says. All right, Raf Sanchez joins us tonight from Tel Aviv. Rath, I want to go back to the top of your report there. It sounds like there's two differing accounts about how all these people in Gaza died. Is there any evidence? And I know it's the fog of war, and this is still very early. But is there any evidence supporting one side's version over the other? So, Tom, in terms of the Palestinian narratives, we do know that hospitals in northern Gaza saw an absolute influx of gunshot victims,

which would appear to support the Palestinian claim that Israeli forces opened fire into the crowd itself. There's some video supporting that. An eyewitness we spoke to said, It is possible that, as the Israelis said, some people were crushed, potentially killed in a stampede. But he says if that happened, it would have been because people were running away from Israeli gunfire. It's worth saying, I ask the Israelis in detail, do you have drone footage? Do you have head camera footage from soldiers that supports this claim that the crowd was threatening your position?

And they say they have nothing to release. And, Ref, you know, you smartly point out in your piece there, the president here in the United States, obviously saying that there could possibly be a ceasefire on Monday. Now with this mass casualty incident, I can't see how that's going to happen, but we're going to have to wait and see. He still sounds hopeful. You mentioned that one in four Palestinians are now a step away from famine. Will we see an increase in aid to prevent that from happening? So a U.S. official actually confirms to NBC News. The Biden administration is considering air-jured.

dropping more aid to Palestinians, especially in northern Gaza, that, Tom, honestly, from the perspective of experts, is something of a bandage on a bleeding wound here. They say it's not just the volume of aid getting into Gaza. That's the problem here. They say there needs to be a ceasefire for them to effectively get the aid to where it's needed. They say that in northern Gaza, where most of those people who are on the brink of famine are concentrated, the issues are are Israeli military restrictions and the complete collapse of law and order. And honestly, you see both of those factors at play in this incident today where aid has to go through Israeli checkpoints and on the other side of those checkpoints facing just enormous crowds

of desperate people. Tom. Raf Sanchez for us tonight, Raf, thank you. And staying overseas American ballerina, Cassinia Carlina, will remain behind bars after a Russian court denied her appeal for release today. This has Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stark warning to Western countries in his state of the nation address, saying they're risking global nuclear war if they send their own troops into Ukraine. NBC's Keir Simmons has new reporting tonight.

Tonight, a glimpse of Russian-American Kestnia Carolina, appearing in a Siberian court via video link, now facing another month in prison after her appeal was rejected. The former ballerina who lives in California is a. accused of treason for raising money for a Ukrainian charity. Less than $52. Her boyfriend in Los Angeles speaking to NBC News after the hearing. She's innocent. She's a normal person.

$51. Come on. So many thoughts must be going through your mind about what it must be like for her. They get to shower once a week, which is painful. They get a book once a week to read a book. They get porridge to eat. While she was in court, President Putin delivering a stark two-hour speech. Once again, threatening the West, after France's President Macron recently suggested

NATO could send ground troops to Ukraine to fight Russia. We too have weapons that can hit targets on their territory, Putin said. This really threatens a conflict with nuclear weapons. President Putin's speech shown on giant screens around Moscow, highlighting recent Russian military advances in Ukraine, though the battlefield remains largely unchanged. Putin calling a minute's silence for soldiers, he said, who are going through the furnace of war.

Keir Simmons joins Top Story tonight from London. Kier, you had the chance to speak to the boyfriend of Kisina, Carolina. Did he tell you what steps he and the family are currently taking to get her out of Russia. I can't imagine what they're going through. I know, right, Tom. Listen, first of all, what he's doing is talking to as many people as he possibly can and making the case that effectively she's just an innocent person

who made a donation to Ukrainian charity, but a very small donation, that she's not a politician, that she's not a campaigner. So that's one aspect of it. He also told me, Tom, that her dad went to the court, today and actually gave an interview there, so it looks as if the family who are in Russia are trying themselves to see what they can do to try and get her released. But as we've mentioned, she now will hear again from the court in April, so another month

in prison. If we look at other cases like Evan Gerskovich, of course, the US journalist, he's now been in prison for almost a year. So I think her boyfriend is, he says, hopeful, but also realistic about the chances that she's going to be released anytime soon. No, you mentioned Evan there. We can't forget Paul Wheelan as well. And you just wonder if Putin is essentially collecting these bargaining chips. We'll learn more, hopefully, in the near future.

How real, because it really struck me what you had in your report there about Macron talking about troops, NATO troops possibly heading to get into your... Ukraine, is that something that's really under consideration, even the U.S. sending troops? You know, Tom, when the French president said that in a speech earlier in the week, it made headlines and it stunned a lot of people. There is now, get this, an argument between the Germans, the French, and the British, because the Chancellor of Germany has said that there are already French and British troops inside Ukraine. That is upset the French. The French and the French and the British government.

And then you asked a question about NATO. Well, we had an in-depth report from the New York Times over the weekend that suggested that there is a large CIA influence, if you like, inside Ukraine. So look, there is the rhetoric and then there is the reality. But of course, the worry, and it will have been underscored by what we heard from President Putin today, the worry, even after two years, continues to be that there could be a clash between Russian forces and NATO forces, and what kind of escalation

that would lead to. Keir Simmons for us from London tonight, Keir, we thank you for that. We want to turn back home here to the deadly wildfire scorching the Texas panhandle. We told you about this last night. It's now burning more than one million acres, and only 3% of it is contained. It's now the largest fire in the state's history. NBC's Guadvanegas is on the ground in Texas again with the latest. Tonight, the Texas panhandle engulfed in a deadly ring of fire.

As firefighters race to beat back the flames of what is now the largest wildfire in the lone star state's history. The Smokehouse Creek is the biggest of four active wildfires now ravaging the state. It's already burned through more than a million acres, leaving apocalyptic scenes like this in its wake. Entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble. For Paul Blake and ship, home won't ever be the same. The flames took his mother, Joyce.

They had already blocked the roads off, so I wasn't able to get in there too hard. The colossal blaze is just 3% contained. Today, a surreal scene in Fritz, Texas, freezing temperatures led to a snow flurry coating the ashes. It's a help to firefighters still extinguishing hotspots, but the weather may not stay helpful for long. It's basically a product of low relative humidity, dry fuel conditions, and really, really high winds. This was my art studio. It's already too late for Melanie McQuitty. Her home is gone. Now she's worried about the historic hotel she manages. I looked at my house. I said goodbye and thank you because I knew that I was not going to return. Until the flames subside, the hotel is putting up

fire crews and evacuees. For now, the fire. rages across these vast farmlands scorching crops and forcing some farms to release their cattle to escape the blaze. Really going to hurt. And all the ranchers around it, it's going to be devastating for our community. With more high winds forecast in the coming days, this battle is far from over. All right, Guad Vanegas joins us tonight live from Canadian Texas. So Guad, our officials hopeful they will get this contained anytime soon. I know we heard that shockingly no number around 3%. Are we looking at any more days this could get out of control? Well, Tom, things have changed.

The weather here is much colder. We had precipitation. We had snow and rain in some parts of North Texas. And we have more resources coming to this part of the state. Because they change that preparedness level from two to three, more resources will be allocated. But they also have federal firefighters on the way. Plus, President Biden says they're sending in air tankers, small planes, and helicopters to help fight those wildfires.

So all of that is expected. to help, but forecasters do say that by the weekend, they expect the heavy winds to come back, which will make things much more difficult, so we'll have to wait and see how things turn out in the next few days, Tom. All right, yeah, that wouldn't help them at all. All right, Guad Vanegas here first. Squad, stay safe. And as those wildfires continue to rip through the Texas panhandle, red flag warnings are in

effect across the central plains with gusty winds threatening more rapid fire spread. And we're also following a major snowstorm. Look at this. This is in the west, moving over the Sierra Mountain. You can see it here. This is Truckee, California, already met with blizzard-like conditions. We have NBC meteorologist Bill Karens in studio tracking it off for us. Bill, start us off, please. Yeah, we were happy with the snow this morning over the fire zone in North Texas, but that's it. I mean, over the next seven days, we're talking drips in the bucket. So we can forget about any rain being helpful.

So how about these winds? Starting tomorrow, the winds are really going to pick up, especially in the afternoon. This is the area where Guad was just located, Canadian, Texas, 27-mile-per-hour winds. are expected tomorrow. Amarillo around 36, southern Kansas into the 40s, and Saturday is expected to be even windier. And for that reason, they've already issued an elevated risk of brush and grass fires in this region. Of course, fritches were about 100 homes already burned. So this is the area where this huge blaze has been, and they're anticipating a very dangerous weekend ahead. All right, Bill Kerens for us, Bill. Thank you. Still ahead tonight, a major update on the battle over IVF and Alabama. The state house and Senate both passing bills to protect patients and providers

After the Supreme Court there, ruled embryos should be considered children. Plus, a dramatic rescue in California after a man drove off a cliff. How long he was stranded there before help arrived? And where is Kate Middleton? Conspiracy theories exploding as the Princess of Wales recovers from abdominal surgery. The statement just released from the palace to try and tame speculation. Ellison Barber is on the case with us. She's coming up right after this.

Back down with the question many online are asking, where is Kate Middleton? The Princess of Wales underwent abdominal surgery in the middle of January. And officials said she would be taking time away from the public eye until Easter. However, there have been few updates on a recovery. And when Prince William suddenly withdrew from his godfather's memorial service this week, the conspiracy theories exploded on social media. Alison Barber has the palace's response just in. It's the question going viral on social.

media. I'm sorry, but where is Kate Middleton? Everyone wants to know where is Kate Middleton. Kate Middleton, the princess of Wales, has become the latest focus of online conspiracies as she remains out of the public eye following abdominal surgery. Nobody has seen Kate. Nobody has heard from Kate. Kate was reportedly last photographed on Christmas Day during the Royal Family's annual Christmas walk to church in Sandringham. Then on January 17th, Kensington Palace announced Middleton is recovering from a planned abdominal surgery and that the wife of Britain's future king would be taking a step back from public duties until after Easter, March 31st. The same day, it was also announced that Prince William's father,

King Charles III, was also in the hospital to undergo a corrective procedure. On January 29th, Kensington Palace announced Kate had returned home from the hospital. No images of her were released. Also on January 29th, King Charles is seen leaving a London hospital. When there's a vacuum of information, people start coming up with their own ideas and their own thoughts about what might be going on, almost like a conspiracy theory. Fueling the speculation this week, it was reported Kate's husband, Prince William, pulled out of a memorial service for his godfather because of a quote, personal matter. This sparked a social media firestorm. The hashtag, whereas Kate, began trending.

The alarming thing about Kate's surgery and recuperation is the length of time that we are not seeing her out and about. Three months for anybody, let alone a young fit woman. Minnie also asking why there have been few updates on Kate's health, prompting a spokesperson for Middleton to release a statement Thursday, saying she is, quote, doing well. and that Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess's recovery, and we'd only be providing significant updates, that guidance stands. There isn't anything untoward because we were told not to expect to see Kate, and we're not seeing Kate. The thing that people have been surprised about is not the fact that we haven't seen Kate,

but that we haven't had more updates about how her rehabilitation and recuperation is going. To make it clear, there have been no reports suggesting that any of the online conspiracies are true. But both Kate and Charles' recent health matters have reopened the debate about transparency surrounding the Royal Family. The Royal Family is under absolutely no constitutional obligation to disclose information about the health of members of the Royal Family. Until we see the Princess of Wales again, the online community will likely stay abuzz. With that, Ellison Barber joins us now live in studio. So, Alison, you know, the royal family had sort of been more transparent. We learned of King Charles's diagnosis, this cancer diagnosis.

And then this happened to Kate Middleton, and we were informed. The public was informed. But they've gone kind of quiet since then. Do we think they're going back to their old ways, or do we think this might just be a personal matter with Princess Kate? That is sort of the big question, right? Because you have these two stories happening at the same time. And on the one hand, the royal family in King Charles were being praised for being more open, more transparent about his medical process. But when you look at the details they released even with that, they said he had

cancer. They didn't say what kind. They didn't say what stages was at. So I think we're seeing this debate sort of play out in real time about what the public thinks they have a right to know and what the royal family is going to give them. And there is this situation where under King Charles, they have talked about this being a more modern era. And Prince William and Kate, they've sort of been at the forefront of modernizing the royal family. So for people not to have this information, now they think they should and the internet will be the internet. Right. One thing we know for sure, when we do get to the bottom of it, we know you'll be right back here telling us what happened. All right, Alison, thank you for that. Coming up, the latest edition of our NBC News series, The Deciders.

Some African-American voters who spoke to NBC News saying they don't want to vote for President Biden or former President Trump, why this could be bad news for both parties. Okay, back now with Top Stories News Feed. And an update tonight, the Alabama Senate and House have passed bills to protect in vitro fertilization or IVF. The bills are intended to create specific protections that shield patients, doctors, and other professionals engaged in IVF services from prosecution and civil suits in the state. It comes after many fertility clinics and hospitals in Alabama paused IVF treatments after the Alabama's Supreme Court ruled frozen embryos are considered human beings. A California man was rescued after he was dangling in his car at the bottom of a cliff for two days. New video showing that driver waving a white flag to try and get the attention of rescuers.

A helicopter crew managing to airlift him to safety. Officials say he dove over the edge in California's Big Sur after swerving to avoid hitting a deer. Co-worker reported him missing, prompting the search. He was taken to a local hospital. He's going to be okay. And a restaurant booth made famous on The Sopranos is going up for sale. Remember this? The Bloomfield Diner and Ice Cream Parlor listing the booth on eBay, following announcements they will be replacing the 60-year-old furniture. The booth was famously seen as the last place the Sopranal family visited before the screen cut to black in the show's finale, you may remember.

The auction is currently over $33,000 and doesn't close for four days. Okay, now to power and politics and the latest edition of our NBC News series The Deciders. A focused group of black voters in North Carolina giving us a new look into their community's views on both President Biden and former President Trump. Many of them strongly disliked both candidates, a type of political double hater that could cost Democrats a crucial voting block. NBC News Washington correspondent Yamish Alcindar has a story. Tonight, the major warning for both President Biden and former President Trump from a demographic that may prove critical in the 2024 election. voters. A new focus group in North Carolina telling NBC News many of them will not vote for Trump, but they're not thrilled about Biden either, a political phenomenon known as double

haters. First thing that comes to mind, President Biden. Old. Okay. Incompetit. I look at him as kind of smug and entitled. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Donald Trump? Crazy. He's definitely racist. The NBC News Deciders Focus Group, A collaboration with Engages Syracuse University in Sago, finding that despite the black community's historic support for President Biden, these voters now have major reservations. A lot of the things that they say are for blacks and for everybody, but they'll just say it's for blacks in the beginning.

I feel like some of this is performative. The panelists at times struggling to name anything President Biden had done for the black community. We all don't go to HBCUs. What are you doing for black students, not just HBCUs? Presented with the White House's messaging on Biden's work for the black community, the group panned his efforts to broadcast his accomplishments. I think that it's all political mumble-jumbo. Despite their harsh words for President Biden, Moe said they would vote for him. The group left some of their most biting criticism for former President Trump.

He's sexist. He's delusional. He's old as hell. Oh, I'm sorry. He's very old. Especially over his recent remarks about the black community. Then I got indicted a second time. and a third time and a fourth time.

And a lot of people said that that's why the black people like because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against. That's probably one of the most racist comments he's ever made. It feels like he thinks we're all criminals. It's like an insult.

It's like, are you serious? That's what you think of us? What do all you make of some Republican backers of Trump who say that Trump's marketing of sneakers appeals to black voters? It's like a joke. taking us, not taking us seriously. President Biden has always massively outperformed Trump among black voters.

He pulled ahead of Trump by nearly 60 percent in January's NBC News poll. But compared to where those numbers set in the 2020 exits, his hold on the black vote is starting to slip. North Carolina, the state these voters call home, is in play in 2024 and could be the difference between re-election and a historic defeat for the president. Now the rise of the double haters raising a critical question. the black voters who have been in Biden's corner for years show up for him one more time in the most important election of his life. Yemis joins us tonight from Washington.

Yomish, you always learned something when you hear from these focus groups. And we saw there in your piece, voters mentioned being concerned about the ages of both Trump and Biden, but it's been more of a political liability for President Biden so far in this race. Was this group more concerned about one or the other on the age question? These voters were certainly more concerned about President Biden's age than former President Trump. Some in the group even said they wondered whether someone else was pulling the strings in the White House because they saw President Biden as too old to lead. And 12 out of the 14 people who participated in this focus group said they voted for President Biden in 2020.

Now just nine of them say they would vote for him again. That is worrisome for President Biden because in a tight race, he's going to want to really turn out every voter who supported him in 2020 and grow his numbers. to ensure a victory. And based on these focus groups, he has a lot of work to do with black voters who are really not that excited about voting for him and feel like really they're just voting against Donald Trump. Tom? Yamish Alcindar for us tonight. Yamish, we always appreciate all your reporting. Thank you. Next tonight, an article in the Wall Street Journal caught our eye along the lines of what Yamish was just talking about, the ages of our leaders. The piece titled, Old Leaders Run the World, and they're not going anywhere. Highlighted the Age.

of eight of the world's most populous countries. In it, it says a decade ago, just one of the world's ten most populous countries, India, had a leader who was 70 or older. Today, eight of them do, putting at least half the global population in the hands of people in their 70s and 80s. And take a look. Both the president of Mexico and China are 70 years old. The president of Nigeria and Russia are 71. The Indian prime minister is 73. The president of Bangladesh is 76. In Brazil, the president there, 78. And right here in the U.S., Biden is the oldest at 81. Joining us is the author of that piece, reporter for the Wall Street Journal, John Emont, and NBC News medical contributor, Dr. Tara Nerula.

John, I'm going to start with you. A great story. Like we said, it caught our eye here. So do we know why? Can you answer why so many of the world's leaders are so old? Yeah, well, there are a lot of different reasons, and these are a lot of different political contexts. But there are some commonalities. So one, obviously, medical technology means that people can live for longer and healthier. And so older leaders have the choice often whether they want to stay or go. A few years ago, maybe they wouldn't have had as much of a choice. The other big issue is that the barriers to entry for younger politicians entering is much higher in many countries than it used to be.

In a democracy, you have to raise a lot of money in order to become a leader. And what that means is that you tend to need to be networked and older, therefore, so that you can, you know, attract all of that support. Tara, yeah, Tara, anecdotally, we hear a lot about people at work saying that there's a lot of people that are older, that are still in the workforce. Right. Some people, you know, in America, they don't want to retire. They don't have to, unless, of course, they're forced out. Is there a reason why, at least in our country, Americans are working longer? Is it because we're living longer?

Is it because technology is making things easier? Yeah, I mean, I think he hit the now in the head in terms of the ten. technology. Certainly we're able to pick up on things earlier. We have great screening tests and also prevention. I mean, in my world of cardiovascular disease, so much of what we've done to improve longevity and reduce mortality and morbidity has to do with picking up on things early, getting people on aspirin and statins and blood pressure medicine. So people are definitely living longer. They're more active now, too. And I think we see that in the age of our leaders. You know, John, here in the U.S., because I think a lot of times the U.S. can

sort of be a leader for the rest of the world, right? There was a time when you think people like JFK, President Obama, even President George W. Bush, who, you know, I remember videos of him, you know, bench pressing in the White House. People liked young, vigorous leaders. They like that energy. But now we have President Biden going up against former President Trump, and we got to remind our viewers, they beat all the young bucks that ran against them, right? They earned those spots. Do we think it's more of a thing of experience or name recognition with the trend that's happening here in the U.S.? I mean, we just reported yesterday, Mitch McConnell is going to step down as the highest-ranking Republican in the Senate

as the minority leader. He's 82, I believe. Right. So I think you're right that experience means a lot to voters. And also, it's just if you've run a lot of political campaigns and you have a lot of connections, you know, as you get older, if you're still healthy, you know, you can use those resources to your advantage. But there are a lot of problems in the American political system, that mean that younger leaders don't necessarily get a chance to rise. So, for example, primary voters tend to be quite a bit older than voters in general elections. So that means that the people who are choosing who the candidates are older than the electorate as a whole. So that might be something that biases us towards older candidates. So there are a lot of little things

like incumbency advantages are so enormous in the United States that there aren't that many new opportunities and new openings for ambitious young people to actually get involved in national politics. So yes, you're right, I think, that Biden and Trump, I mean, they won, and that means that they do appeal to a lot of people, and we should remember that and think about why. Dr. Naurula, you know, we obviously didn't have you on here to talk about politics. You're a cardiologist. Is it smart that we have all these older men? And I don't say that, you know, with anything bad there, but is there a danger that all these older men are ruling all these countries? I mean, Tom, I have patients who are in their 80s and are, you know, fit and totally

with it and working. My father's a cardiologist and practicing at 86. And I have patients who are in their 50s and 60s who are not in the same shape. So I think just looking at age alone really can't tell you about somebody's ability to do their job. I will say when you think about, you know, factors that go into somebody's fitness, you look at, you know, their physical abilities, what their physical exam is like, what are their laboratory data look like, the leading causes of death. We think about cardiovascular disease, and we think about cancers. And so that's really what I was looking at when they released the report yesterday.

How does he check off in terms of those boxes? The physical on President Biden? And it's my understanding you wish there was a cognitive test, or you found it strange that there wasn't a part that there was a cognitive test? I think I will say that, again, what people look at is somebody cardiovascular fit, right? That's the leading threat. In terms of what they released on him, his blood pressure looked pretty good. cholesterol numbers look good. He has sleep apnea, which he's controlling. He has atrial fibrillation,

and irregular heart rhythm is on a blood thinner for that. So the biggest risk with that would be bleeding. And really no other major medical issues other than acid reflux. No significant cancers. His laboratory data was good. So, you know, all in all that look good. But I will say the big black box is cognitive function, right? You can't tell that from a physical exam. You need cognitive testing. You would potentially need brain imaging. And so that still remains as a question mark and a real one for people who are asking the question about fitness. And if you're leading in your late 70s into your 80s, into your mid-80s, you're also relying on a lot of people, right? Because at that point, it is hard just to be independent, both physically, I would think,

and cognitively. Again, it depends on the person. You know, there are older people who are able to take care of everything in their lives. They don't need other people to assist them. And then there are those who the decline is, you know, much more visible. And they do need the support. So it really is very variable. It is. John, what did you find from your reporting and kind of looking at this from all over the world? Do we know why the trend is the same in other countries? I mean, in our hemisphere and across the globe? Well, again, there are a lot of different countries, different political systems. So China and Russia, it's easy enough to know why they've got leaders in their 70s.

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are dictators who have managed to, you know, out-maneuver rivals and stick around. It's different in democracies. But in democracy, but in Democracy is, I think, one of the key reasons is just you need a lot of money to be successful in politics and to get people to back you. It helps to have experience for them to think that you're really sort of a proven commodity. And so that's something that I think benefits older politicians in a lot of different countries. John, Dr. DeRullo, we thank you so much for being here on Top Story. All right, coming up on the Americas, taking you to the front lines and the high seas where Ecuador's military is cracking down on Cartesian. tells seizing drugs being smuggled into North America. Stay with us.

Back now with Top Stories Global Watch and a check of what else is happening around the world. We start in Nicaragua where the government there is being accused of crimes against humanity once again. A panel of UN experts say a year's long investigation uncovered evidence of high-ranking officials, including President Daniel Ortega, targeting anyone or any groups they deemed as opposition. has been known for cracking down on anti-government protesters and have even arrested members of the Catholic Church. A massive fire just outside of Milan, clouding the city with smoke. Take a look.

New drone footage shows a warehouse engulfed in flames, sending smoke billowing into the air and causing its roof to collapse. The building reportedly stored plastics. Authorities say the fire spread to a surrounding building. Luckily, though no one was hurt, it's unclear what caused that fire. And Canada, bringing back visa requirements

for Mexican nationals visiting the country. Officials announcing the new rule in an effort to combat migrants crossing into Canada illegally. The immigration minister also called on the U.S. to take action on those illegally crossing into Canada from the U.S.

The change won't apply to Mexican nationals who currently have a valid work or student visa in Canada. Okay. Turning now to the Americas where Ecuador's Navy has joined the effort to crack down on gangs who are trafficking massive quantities of drugs

to North America. One recent bus bringing in one and a half tons of cocaine from a speedboat. Sky News chief correspondent Stuart Ramsey joins one military patrol off the Galapagos Islands. Armed Marines board fishing boats off Esmeraldas on Ecuador's Pacific coasts. These intercepts are constant and part of the country's crackdown on cartel and gang activity. They're looking for drugs being smuggled to North America and abnormally large quantities of fuel the smugglers need for the journey north. or signs of piracy. What they're looking for is not just necessarily drugs,

but it can actually be fuel as well, so some of the small fishing vessels can have fuel, which will then be given to the fastboats that the drug users or the drug smugglers use. These are fairly random checks to see if the paperwork's correct or not. An interceptor speedboat is launched on the moon, from a Coast Guard cutter as more Marines begin another Pacific Ocean Patrol.

This crew is looking for bigger and faster drug-smuggling vessels that use these waters. We're sailing off the Galapagos Islands, it sees rich with marine life. But the drug dealers aren't interested in this place, they don't even come ashore. Rather, they seek the quieter waters to the south of the Galapagos with less maritime. with less maritime traffic. We joined Commander Xavier Rubio's team on one of their regular patrols on the Cutter Isla Isabella. His crew recently captured a smuggler boat with one and a half tons of cocaine on board with a street value of $200 million in Europe.

Air Force surveillance cameras show the intercepted boat closing in on the smugglers. They manoeuvre into the target vessels wake at high speed. They're using the waves as cover. The smugglers at this point don't know they're there. Then they're spotted, and the smugglers attempt to accelerate away. But the Coast Guard anticipate the move and overtake them and cut across its bow. The Marines board the vessel, arrest the crew, and uncover their illegal cargo. A lot of people have discussed, and I've...

I've been reading about recently is that people who are using cocaine in North America or using cocaine in Europe and using cocaine in the UK, which is one of the big users, have no idea that it comes from somewhere. And where it comes from, there are gangs, there's poverty, there's murder, there's death. People don't think about the consequences. I don't know if people think about that, but we know that is one of the biggest business. in the world. And where the money is involved, but people is involved with it. South American governments like Ecuador see taking the fight to the cartels and the gangs

as their own war on terror. It will cost a fortune. This country sees this war as an actual fight for its survival. Stuart Ramsey Sky News, Ecuador. When we come back in emotional reunion months in the making, a father serving overseas in Afghanistan and the moment he got to surprise, not one, but two of his children while they were at school. That's all coming up next. Back now with a special story on this leap day, February 29th, a day that only comes around once every four years. Babies born today will get just one-fourth of the birthdays that all of their friends get. Well, not really, but sort of. Tonight, George's release has the story of

one of those so-called leapers now delivering the next generation of these unique newborns. While many of us may prefer not to work on our birthdays, New Jersey delivery room doctor, Eric Grossman, leaps at the opportunity in more ways than one. A leap year birthday is pretty unique. You see, he was born on leap year day, 1972. He did the math. That means today he turns 13. I'm actually going to be the same age as my youngest kid this year. The good doctor is actually 52. And while delivering babies is special, this day, which comes around every four years, is particularly magical. And I think it makes some parents anxious, but I've always thought it was fun. And for me, I think it's nice to bring other leapier babies into the world.

This is the doctor today at Virtue of Warhees in New Jersey, after helping deliver baby Lucas, the hospital, welcoming more than a dozen babies at this location alone, including the Parker Twins. I just feel like we're blessed. It's kind of hard to have twins, just to have them and then have them on a date like that. It's like an unusual blessing. And Deskazia is very special. Right there, in their literal corner, Dr. Grossman, with an answer to their first dilemma, what day do you celebrate the next birthday?

My own parents threw a party for me on the 28th and on March 1st. So you get older. That's a both thing. Also joining in on the leap day lore, little baby Russell. We'll let him pick what day he wants to celebrate. If it's the 28th or the first, and others than that. It gets to age a little slower than everybody else, right? She's a win.

Around the country today, many others took part in this extra added calendar day celebration. Babies are in their little frog hats. This is so cute. Adorable. Brother and sisters were like, wow, he's only going to have a birthday every four years. Our friends of the Today Show, even throwing a birthday party for grown-up leapers. How does it feel being 12? I was great.

Yeah. Almost teenagers. Back in New Jersey. Dr. Grossman remains hard at work tonight, making his special day just a little more special for so many others. February 29th is a unique day. So if I can be at work and deliver a baby or two, that's a good day for me. George Salis, NBC News, New Jersey, Leap Day, 2024. Love seeing those Leaper babies.

All right, finally tonight, a special surprise in Nebraska. An Army National Guardsman reuniting with his twins at their elementary school after serving in Afghanistan for nearly 10 months. Marlundack from NBC's Omaha station was there for those emotional moments. I'm with the Army National Guard, and I've been gone for a little over nine months, and I'm here to surprise my seven-year-old twins. Major Timothy Wobeg is home about a month early from his deployment to Afghanistan. He and his wife, Katie, knew this would be the perfect opportunity to surprise their two kids, Lila and Roman, at school. To be honest, I am more comfortable walking through the streets of Afghanistan that I am standing here in the school right now

waiting to say hi to my kids that I haven't seen in so long for about 10 months I've been thinking about it just thinking about how they're going to react or how I'm going to react. First up, Lila. And the giggles, too. Boo. Just across the hall, Lila's unsuspecting twin brother, Roman. How about you get your stuff, and now I'm going to go say, how your brother. Okay?

Yeah. Now, it was his turn. Hey, bud. The family of four finally reunited. You said on April. I can go back. Mom says the big surprise was worth it. Just seeing the joy in your kid's eyes and, you know, being there to, yeah, support my husband as well.

It was just surreal, yeah. Nothing can prepare you for that moment. What feelings were you feeling when you turned around and you noticed that your dad was standing right there behind you? standing right there behind you. That's a double job. Major Wobig says moments like these wouldn't be possible without support systems. I always thought that I kind of had the easy job,

but my wife has the hard job. You had the hard job. But all the other families out there with service members, thank you for all their support. It's not easy, but it would be so much harder if we didn't have our families. I want to thank the Woe Big family for sharing that moment with us and also for their service and their sacrifice. And we thank you for watching Top Story tonight. I'm Tom Yamison, New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.