Top Story with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Episode Date: April 17, 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.

Breaking news as we come on the air, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez may be looking to point the finger in his bribery case, pointing it right at his wife. The shocking revelation in newly unsealed documents signaling Menendez could testify that his wife, Nadine, hid information from him. Court filings allege his wife was the one getting hundreds of thousands of dollars and that he was unaware of any wrongdoing. What this explosive twist in the case could mean. tonight tornado outbreak. 25 million on alert for severe weather after more than a dozen tornadoes strike across four states, twisters carving a path of destruction in Missouri, damaging winds, bringing down power lines, leaving thousands without electricity. The threat far from over as spring storms charge across the Midwest. Trump's jury box, seven jurors,

and former President Trump's historic hush money trial are sworn in, a teacher. an oncology nurse and an attorney among those sworn in. Trump's lawyer spending day two challenging potential jurors over what they posted on social media. The heated moment as the judge blast the former president saying he won't tolerate juror intimidation will explain. Graduation speech uproar, USC facing backlash over its decision to cancel its valedictorian speech.

The school claiming it was out of safety concerns after pro-Israeli groups objected to the student's pro-Palestinian social media post. The student's strong response to being denied her chance at speaking. Child melatonin danger, makers of the popular sleeping supplement, asked to tighten safety standards after thousands of kids end up in the ER. Plus, a European landmark up in flames, Copenhagen's historic stock exchange engulfed in a massive fire, people scrambling to rescue priceless pain. trapped inside that building.

And losing the glow, a government crackdown, turning out the lights on Hong Kong's iconic neon signs, we're going to take you there, while the bright signs that once lit up this vibrant city are quickly fading. Top story starts right now. Good evening. This is breaking tonight. New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez potentially turning on his own wife

as he's accused in a wide-ranging bribery scheme. Newly unsealed court filings obtained by NBC New York say Menendez may blame his alleged crimes on his wife Nadine if he takes the stand in his trial. The documents filed in secret with a judge back in January reclaiming his wife hid the truth from him. The New Jersey senator and his wife are accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash,

gold bars, and a luxury car in exchange for Menendez's political. influence. The cash and gold discovered inside their home, some of which was found stashed in coats. The bombshell filing coming just three weeks before Senator Menendez goes to trial on political corruption charges. NBC News Chief Justice contributor, Jonathan Dean, starts us off with the breaking details. They've been seen entering court hand in hand, but now it appears there may be a big legal split between Senator Menendez and his wife, Nadine. The Senator's possible defense was filed in secret with a federal judge. Today, that document is now public after the news media fought to get it unsealed. And in those documents, the Senator's

legal team writes that if the senator takes the stand, his story will clear himself. But that story could implicate his wife, Nadine. While the Senator's explanations and the marital communications on which they rely will tend to exonerate Senator Menendez by demonstrating the absence of any improper intent on Senator Menendez's part, they may inculpate Nadine by demonstrating the ways in which she withheld information from Senator Menendez or otherwise led him to believe that nothing unlawful was taking place. Menendez and his wife are accused of accepting tens of thousands in cash and gold bars from three New Jersey businessmen in what prosecutors say was a wide-ranging bribery scheme. In exchange,

The FBI says the New Jersey Democrat used his office to help the businessmen with deals overseas as well as to try to interfere with separate criminal investigations related to two of the businessmen. This was a past explanation the senator gave as to why he and his wife had so much cash in his home. For 30 years, I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my personal savings account, which I have kept for emergencies and because of the history. of my family facing confiscation in Cuba. Now, this may seem old-fashioned. The senator, his wife, and two businessmen have pleaded not guilty.

A third pleaded guilty and is now cooperating. That businessman, Jose Uribe, says he gave the men and his money for a new Mercedes as part of a bribe scheme, and then they hatched a cover story to try to fool investigators. The senator and his wife deny wrongdoing. Last week, a federal judge ordered separate trials for the senator and his wife, amid news she has fallen ill and will require surgery and weeks of recovery. So the senator goes on trial May 6th, and documents show he might take the stand and possibly point a finger at his wife. and with his wife's separate criminal trial set for the summer and issues of spousal privilege if the senator takes the stand and blames her, his testimony may not be admissible at his wife's

later trial. No comment from federal prosecutors or attorneys for Senator Menendez or his wife. Again, the senator in one secret court filings says his defense may be that he is not to blame that some of the blame may fall on his wife, Nadine. So, Jonathan, you were walking at a judge. through the timeline of when these trials were start. But there's still a big question here, right? Will Senator Menendez, in his trial, which is the first to start, will he take the stand?

And that's to be determined. There have been lots of hearings, lots of motions on these court papers suggest he wants to take the stand to try to clear his name. But again, it's the defense's call whether, once the trial begins, if he will. And then peel back the curtain a little bit for our viewers here, right? Because we got this reporting through a court order that WNBC fought very hard to obtain, correct? Yeah. So these documents were sealed, first in their entirety, and then in part. And so we're like, why are these blackout sections, you know, not highlighted? Why are they not public for us to see? We wrote the judge, we asked. We hired illegal teams, other media organizations that joined us.

And today, the judge said, you have a right to see it. And that's why we're reporting this tonight. All right, Jonathan, Dean, speaking, a lot of news tonight. Jonathan, we appreciate that. For more on how this could all play out in court for Senator Menendez. We have a busy desk here. I want to bring in NBC News legal analyst, Danny Savalas, who joins us on the other side here. So, Danny, explain this legal strategy to us. Here's what this is not. This is not Menendez acting as a cooperating witness against his wife. That does not mean he's going to plead guilty and come in and testify against Nadine at her trial.

It's actually really just a theory, a theoretical possibility that the defendant is posing in service of his request. And that request is, court, sever this trial. Let me go to trial alone first and then try Nadine and all the other co-defendants together. And the reason why you should sever my trial is there's the possibility or the likelihood that I might point the finger at my wife or because of two different spousal privileges, I won't be able to point the finger at my wife, thereby denying me a defense, thereby denying me that right to present a defense guaranteed by the Constitution. In the legal documents, they use the phrase absence of intent. What exactly are they talking about? They're talking about testifying that he didn't have, what he would, what he's suggesting is, for example, he might get on the stand and say, hey, I didn't have the requisite intent for this crime. It was all her. I know nothing. I see no evil. I hear no evil. And so those get into two different marital and spousal privileges. They're a little complicated, but the bottom line is they somewhat overlap, but they are slightly different. And really what they're arguing is in its simplest form, if he takes the stand, he may be prevented from essentially testifying on his own behalf. You know, I thought this was something that may have come up a lot,

but one of the things that was very striking to me is that the defendant cited case law. They cited cases where this happened. But curiously, none that happened in this particular district where the case is being tried. Normally, if something happens all the time, you're going to find case law everywhere. So the answer to has this happened before? Yes, it has in some courts and in some of cases. appellate courts, but not that frequently, it appears. But for him to skate and point the finger, does she have to sink or not necessarily?

Not at all. That's exactly the point. He is not cooperating against her. In fact, the really, from what they're asking, this will net no negative to either defendant. In other words, that's what they're saying. They're saying sever this case because... But then why not get tried together if he's not going to point the finger? Because, for example, if he got tried together and he wanted to take the stand and say, She did it. She's the one that did everything. And I'll tell you, here's some communications we had. Whoa, whoa, whoa. You can't talk about that because of these two different spousal privileges. She either can prevent him from testifying about anything they talked about during the marriage.

So then he's telling the court, you're effectively preventing me from taking the stand and preventing me from offering a defense. So the cleanest thing to do, therefore, is sever this case. And courts in the past, when it's been two married defendants, have done just that. It doesn't appear that the court that they're in has done that, but it appears to have happened. Next to our other major headline, that dangerous tornado outbreak across the Midwest. At least 16 tornadoes reported today, plus 60-mile-per-hour wind gusts, golf ball-sized hail and power outages slamming the region. Now it's heading into tonight, tens of millions still under the threat of severe weather. Priya Shrethar has the latest details.

The severe storms ripped across the plains, with at least 22 reported tornadoes across four states. Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri. Residents capturing these terrifying images as menacing funnel clouds approached. The suspected tornadoes leaving a trail of damage in their wake. Scary moments for drivers in Iowa who filmed the moment a possible twister crossed a highway. That's a big old tornado. Near Smithville, Missouri, several roofs were torn off buildings and this camper flipped over. Debris now scattered throughout the town. At least two people have been injured in the storms. The area was also hit by strong thunderstorms with golf ball-sized hail and wind gusts of up to 60 miles an hour. Tonight, the region bracing for more severe weather with millions still under tornado watches. Priya Shrether,

NBC News. We thank Priya for that, for more on those millions under tornado watches. Let's go right to NBC News meteorologist Bill Kerens, who joins me live in the studio. So, Bill, what's the latest on this? dangerous line of storms have been moving through Iowa with reports of tornadoes. At one point, a large tornado went through Salem, Iowa. I saw a farm that was just gone. The barn, the silo, the house. They're left with nothing. Other areas in Salem, at least a couple homes have been completely destroyed. And that line of storms has continued now to cross the Mississippi. And now we're into a very highly populated area with this storm. Davenport, Iowa is under a tornado warning. So the sirens are going off. Everyone is in their safe shelters, interior rooms, closets,

If they have an underground tornado shelter, they are in it right now as this line of storms is rolling through. This is a radar indicated. So the storm had a tornado with it. It kind of dissipated, but now the storm is showing rotation again on our radar. And that's why the tornado warning is in effect here for Davenport. So we'll track this over the next half hour. In all, we've had about 16 tornado reports since the sun came up this morning. You notice all the red dots.

That's where all the tornadoes. We've been a few in Nebraska. We had a bunch in Kansas earlier this morning. but a lot of hail and wind damage with this, too. So this has been a severe weather outbreak and a tornado outbreak with that 16. We have tornado watches up until at least 8 o'clock this evening into areas in Illinois. That's with that line of storms. We just showed you near Davenport.

Severe thunderstorm watch has just cleared the St. Louis area, so that should be dropped shortly. So we'll watch these storms heading towards Chicago this evening, and they should be weakening as they approach the windy city. Tomorrow, about 17 million people at risk won't be quite as severe. There's not as much spin in the air as today. for tornadoes, but we could have isolated tornadoes. A lot of big population centers, too, Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Fort Wayne, Indiana, all on the path tomorrow, Tom. Okay, Bill, we thank you for that. Next to another major story that we're following,

because we're following a lot of major stories tonight. Seven New Yorkers have been selected to sit as jurors at the criminal trial of former president Donald Trump. Day two of jury selection in Trump's New York hush money trial filled with dramatic moments, including multiple potential jurors being confronted with past remarks on social media and and the former president being reprimanded by the judge for his behavior in court. NBC's Laura Jared has more from Lower Manhattan tonight. Tonight, seven jurors have now been chosen to sit in judgment of former President Trump, who left for the courthouse this morning, then closely watching what one juror who was dismissed

described as a surreal selection process. It's like, oh, this is just another guy. And also he sees me talking about him, which is bizarre. Of those selected so far, a salesperson, an uncomfortable. nurse, two attorneys, an IT consultant, a teacher, and a software engineer. The slow-moving vetting process springing into an animated focus group-like atmosphere, with today's pool of nearly two dozen Manhattan residents offering their unvarnished views of the presumptive GOP nominee to his face under questioning by the prosecution and defense.

One man calling Mr. Trump, quote, fascinating and mysterious, one revealing he was a big fan of the apprentice in middle school. A woman saying, quote, President Trump speaks his mind, and I'd rather that than someone who's in office who you don't know what they're thinking. And a fourth perspective juror telling attorneys, I'm a Democrat, so there you go. But I walk in there and he's a defendant, and that's all he is. The defense team raising successful objections to a handful by pointing out past social media posts, including one who said, lock him up. While the judge fumed at Mr. Trump for appearing to mutter something, warning, I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. Jury selection is ongoing until 12 people and six alternates are selected. The former president

is accused of falsifying business records, a low-level felony, by mischaracterizing a hush money payment he allegedly directed Michael Cohen make to Stormy Daniels as legal expenses on his company's books. Mr. Trump pleaded not guilty. It's called legal expense. That's what you're supposed to go. Mr. Trump getting ever seen, nobody has ever seen anything like it. Meanwhile, in Washington, the Supreme Court's conservative majority, appearing skeptical of a federal obstruction law that could affect some charges Mr. Trump faces in a different criminal case. The case in front of the justices about a former police officer who wants charges stemming

from his participation in January 6th dropped. The same law Mr. Trump has been charged with in his election interference case, but Some of the justices today pressing the government to explain whether the law could unfairly sweep up those engaged in legitimate protests. What happened on January 6th was very, very serious. But we need to find out what are the outer reaches of this statute under your interpretation. All right, Laura joins us again tonight from outside of court in Lower Manhattan. So, Laura, take us inside that courtroom when the judge came after former President Trump

for what he was apparently muttering to his lawyer. Yeah, it was really surreal, Tom. We still don't really know what exactly Trump said to that juror. He obviously didn't address it. His attorneys didn't address it. His attorney, Todd Blanche, the lead attorney, did whisper to the former president at one point. And then we saw former President Trump sort of waved the attorney off almost to say, yeah, I got it.

But again, a lot of questions about what happened. But what was very clear is the judge was not having it. He was not happy at any suggestion that Mr. Trump would be trying to say anything to any prospective juror, even one that was ultimately dismissed. And then, Laura, you had in your piece some of those wild statements in court today. What moments really stuck out to you as you heard these interactions with the jurors? Yeah, Tom, it seems like there was almost a fundamental disagreement between the prosecution on the one hand and the defense on the other about what it means to be a juror that can be fair,

whether somebody who has past social media posts that perhaps might be a little bit embarrassing now in hindsight, making fun of the former president. If they had those, say, six years ago, can they now sitting in this courtroom of Manhattan today be fair? Many of them suggested that they could. But the prosecution and the judge were sort of pressing the defense attorney to say, don't try to question these people and cross-examine them of sorts about their past views. Let's look at what they can do today. Although many of them were dismissed, Tom, I should note, because of those past posts, many admitting they simply couldn't be fair, but now we have seven, The jury selection will continue on on Thursday morning, Tom.

Still ahead tonight and look at how the conflict in the Middle East is causing controversy on college campuses. USC canceling the commencement speech by its valedictorian, citing safety concerns. But their top student says it's because of her beliefs. Plus, convicted murderer Scott Peterson back in court today why the L.A. Innocence Project has taken up his case, arguing he's not guilty for the murders of his wife and unborn child two decades ago. And new video showing a boat pulling onto a beach near San Diego. more than a dozen people than jumping out and fleeing past shocked beachgoers, the investigation now by border officials.

Stay with us. We're back now with how the growing conflict in the Middle East is raising tensions back at home, specifically on college campuses, USC canceling and commencement speech by its valedictorian. The university citing safety concerns, but critics believe it may be punishment for her social media posts about the war in Gaza. NBC's Liz Kreutz has more on the firestorm. Tonight, controversy on campus after USC canceled the valedictorian's commencement speech citing safety concerns. Asna Tabassum was chosen by the USC provost to be this year's valedictorian, selected from nearly 100 qualifying students who applied. But at least two pro-Israel and Jewish

groups complained to USC about the choice, pointing to Tabassum's social media activity, specifically a link to a free Palestine slideshow on her Instagram, which calls for the complete abolishment of the state of Israel. The university has to make the decision about whether this valedictorian and her propagation of anti-Semitic vitriol online is worthy of being the representative of the class of 2024. Tabassim said she is shocked and profoundly disappointed that the university is succumbing to a campaign of hate meant to silence my voice.

Unfortunately, it is clear if you're a Muslim student today, you don't expect the university, your administration, to stand by you. The university's provost says the issue here is how best to maintain campus security and safety, period, and that the decision has nothing to do with freedom of speech. USC's commencement typically draws 65,000 people. University leadership has not shared details about potential threats. It kind of makes a lot of people uncomfortable, the fact that they're putting it under safety concerns, but, aren't willing to then elaborate on any of those safety concerns. The commencement controversy at USC, just the latest example of heightened tensions related to violence overseas,

spilling over on college campuses. Okay, Liz, joins us tonight from Los Angeles. Liz, tensions on the conflict have been high from coast to coast. Columbia's president will now be the latest university president to face questioning on Capitol Hill. Yeah, Tom, that's right. This is something we're seeing from California to New York tonight. The Columbia University president is going to,

to be testifying in front of the same House committee that remember tripped up three other university presidents from MIT University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University. It led to the resignation, as I'm sure you remember of two of those presidents. Well, now it's the Columbia University president's turn in the hot seat. The difference here is likely aware of many of the questions she's going to face. She got ahead of that question that tripped up those presidents about whether calling for the genocide of Jews would break university rules. She got ahead and said incitement to violence against any members of our community will not be tolerated.

But, Tom, again, she's also going to be facing other tough questions. In fact, it was just announced this week that Columbia University is facing a new lawsuit from the New York Civil Liberties Union and a Palestinian rights organization that are suing the university over the suspension of two pro-Palestinian groups that were pushing for a ceasefire. So as you can see from coast to coast, Tom, this is still continuing this question of free speech on college campuses. What is free speech? How far can it go? Complicated questions we're dealing with tonight, Tom. Okay, Liz, thanks for that. And out of the latest in the case of Scott Peterson. The man convicted of murdering his wife an unborn child more than two decades ago.

Peterson appearing remotely in court this morning alongside his lawyers from the L.A. Innocence Project, who say there is new evidence that could prove he's not guilty. NBC's Adrian Broadest has the latest. We are on the record in the matter of the people versus Scott Lee Peterson. Tonight, convicted murderer Scott Peterson is back in court. He's fighting for a new trial in the killings of his wife and unborn child more than 20 years ago. The L.A. Innocence Project taking up his case, arguing new evidence shows Peterson was not behind the killings. The L.A. Innocence Project certainly brings a fair amount of credibility to Scott Peterson, which wouldn't have existed prior.

When they do take on a case, they tend to do it if they think there was a real possibility that they could be successful. Peterson appearing virtually from prison for the procedural hearing on sealing the names of some witnesses. Last month, his lawyers arguing evidence previously overlooked be made available. They say it should have been presented to Peterson's original defense team. Mr. Peterson has been waiting 20 years to find some of these police reports and audio recordings and video recordings that should have been provided. Peterson was convicted in the 2002 murders of his wife, Lacey Peterson, and their unborn child. Now, Peterson is serving a life sentence without parole. This, after his original death sentence, was overturned by California's Supreme Court.

Absolutely, Your Honor. Thank you. But the L.A. Innocence Project now says that overlooked evidence may show Lacey's killers were burglars who had broken into a house across the street. They also want to do new testing on a burned out orange van containing a bloody mattress that they say may have Lacey's DNA on it. It was reportedly found in Modesto the morning after Lacey Van. John Bueller, a former police detective who led the original investigation, says he didn't know about the mattress, but is skeptical it's related to the murders. I guess there's a possibility, but I think it's kind of like the possibility of the sun rising in the west tomorrow. I just really don't think it's there. Peterson, now facing an uphill battle to earn a new trial as questions remain over whether new evidence will be enough to set him free.

The likelihood is very small that Scott Peterson will be granted a new trial out of this. The bar is extremely high. It's not just if there was evidence that was excluded from the trial. It's if that evidence, when discovered, would likely return a different verdict. Adrian joins us tonight from L.A. So, Adrian, I want to make it clear to our viewers. This case is being taken up by the L.A. Innocence Project, but not the National Innocence Project, correct? Correct, Tom. This is a separate non-profit, excuse me, similar name just at L.A. in front of Innocence Project.

Many of our viewers are familiar with the National Innocence Project, which has overturned hundreds of convictions, Tom. And, Adrian, you mentioned the potential new DNA evidence that would be so critical to retrying this case. When will we know if that will be admitted? Well, we know there is a hearing scheduled for the end of next month. It's expected. to last an entire day. That's when the court will examine this DNA evidence and talk about DNA testing. Peterson and his defense attorneys are hopeful

that evidence will lead to a new trial. Tom? Adrian, thanks again. So great to have you in the show. When we come back, child melatonin danger, a new report from the CDC finding an alarming spike in children going to the ER after ingesting the sleep aid.

So are the products safe for kids? What parents need to know? That's next. Okay, we're back with Top Stories News Feed, and we begin with the new report on those deadly wildfires in Lahaina. The Maui Fire Department, say an additional equipment, including more fire trucks and water tankers. We're needed to help firefighters battle the explosive flames. During the fire, some crews drove their personal vehicles to the scene, and fire hydrants began to run out. This report comes one day before Hawaii's Attorney General is expected to release phase one.

of a sweeping investigation. Some local officials in Southern California calling for stricter immigration loss after a caught-on-camera moment near San Diego. New video shows a motorboat speeding ashore near Carlsbad, California. Look at this, more than a dozen people who were believed to be migrants

seen jumping out of the boat and just running across the beach. The group then getting into a parked SUV that sped away, customs and border protection says so far no arrests have been made. Tesla laying off 10% of its workforce amid falling share price. cuts amounting to 14,000 people globally across the company.

CEO Elon Musk telling employees that dismissals would reduce costs and increase productivity. Tesla reported its first annual decline in vehicle deliveries since 2020. And Atlanta's airport maintaining its status as the world's busiest, Artsfield Jackson International, topping the list again, followed by Dubai's International Airport and then Dallas-Fort Worth. According to Airports Council International, more than 104 million passengers traveled through Atlanta's airport in 2023, and surprisingly, this is important. Another report from last year found less than 20% of the flights are delayed there, on average, one of the lowest in the U.S.

Okay, we turn now to a disturbing health trend, the sleeping aid melatonin, landing children in emergency rooms at alarming rates. According to a March report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 11,000 kids have been seen in emergency rooms between 2019 and 2022, after ingesting melatonin while unsupervised. For more on this massive rise in childhood ER visits, NBC News Medical Analyst, Dr. Natalie Azar, joins us now. Dr. Natalie, thanks so much for being here. And so for viewers who may not have kids, I want to explain that these melatonin sort of tablets come in a lot of different forms, right?

There are sleep drops, there's gummies, there's dissolvable tablets as well. And so what's happening here? So, I mean, first of all, perspective and context is important. There were actually between 2012 and 2021, over 260,000 reports of melatonin poisonings in children. And that's a staggering number. Most of the children do find. Some need to be hospitalized. As you saw, there were numerous, numerous emergency room visits.

But a couple of children have died. And look, the issue is this, that melatonin side effects usually are pretty mild, meaning if you take too much. headache, nausea, dizziness, some daytime drowsiness. But in children, we don't know the potential long-term use side effects, perhaps like issues with puberty and growth. Short-term ingestion, again, typically not associated with life-threatening issues, but nonetheless, concerning some of these supplements not only are in gummy form and liquid form, some of them have CBD. Some of them have serotonin. Some of them have 300% more melatonin than what's on the label. So the whole thing is just an absolute mess. And even if you don't have children, you should still

be concerned about this. And as soon as you introduce gummies, you know, like that looks like a gummy bear to children. They may think it's candy and they may take a lot. And I imagine that's what's been happening here. So now I know there's a trade group. It's called the Council for Responsible Nutrition. And they basically told the manufacturers of melatonin, you need to clean up your act in the next 18 to 24 months. But people at home have to know the FDA doesn't regulate melatonin, right? So the FDA has some regulatory authority over the supplement industry, but not in the way they do conventional drugs the way we understand.

Right. With phase, you know, phase one, two, three trials and all of that kind of thing. But essentially, a manufacturer or a distributor of a product is not allowed to market anything that's been misbranded or adulterated. And they need to make sure. sure that the product is safe and the labeling is correct before they can market it. Otherwise, the FDA absolutely can step in, but only after the product has come to market and they can determine that the manufacturer has not complied with their regulations.

So they are not responsible. The FDA is not responsible for the labeling. It's not responsible for the way it comes as a gummy or as a liquid. Only once it's there, you know, on the market, can they say, whoa, now we can do something about it? What's your recommendation for melatonin use for adults and for children? Yeah, you know, it's a little fraught. There are definitely some groups that certainly can benefit. For example, short-term use in insomnia. If you have jet lag, certain other individuals who have medical issues,

for children, it's much, much more nuanced. There are certain indications that parents can discuss with their pediatrician about safe use, but again, not really full. long-term. Just so people at home understand, melatonin can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep. It doesn't give you better quality sleep. It doesn't give you more restful sleep or longer sleep. And really, even as adults, we're not supposed to be using it for long-term. But the bottom line, always, for anyone who's taking care of young children, and this goes for all supplements and all medications. Out of reach of children, up on a cupboard, someplace

place where they can't get to it. Gummies. Melatonin doesn't currently have child deterrent packaging. So you just have to be aware of this. You can't have them sitting there for a kid to say, look, I'm going to have a gummy there. Or getting the habit of giving them melatonin gummies every night. Oh, no, definitely not.

Dr. Natalie Azar, we thank you so much for that. Appreciate it. Coming up, the massive fire in Copenhagen, have you seen this? New images coming in showing the European landmark, going up in flames. People rushing into say precious artwork. What caused that blaze? That's coming up next.

All right, we're back now with Top Stories Global Watch and a check of what else is happening around the world. We start with a massive fire destroying the historic old stock exchange building in Copenhagen. Look at this. The new video shows the landmarks iconic 184-foot dragon-tail spire collapsing as flames engulfed the 400-year-old building. People rushed into the building to help save some of the extensive collection. of historic artwork. Officials say the fire broke out on the building's copper roof

during renovations. No one was hurt. Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro ordering the closure of Venezuela's embassy and two consulates in Ecuador. The move follows a raid on Mexico's embassy in Quito. Ecuadorian authorities stormed the building as we reported here on top story

on orders to arrest and detain their former vice president, Jorge Glass. He is a convicted criminal and fugitive who had been living in the embassy since December. Mexico has seen. since paused all diplomatic relations with Ecuador and called for their suspension from the U.N. And the 2024 Paris Olympics torch has officially been lit. The tradition-rich event beginning at the site of ancient Olympia in Greece,

the ceremony kickstarts the more than 3,000-mile relay for more than 10,000 torchbearers. It will be carried all the way to Paris before lighting the Olympic flame during the opening ceremony in July. NBC and Peacock, home to the Olympic Games, as you know, this summer. Okay, next tonight to Hong Kong where the city's iconic neon-soaked streets are losing their luster due to new safety regulations. An estimated 500 signs remain down from the peak of 150,000, and some residents and business owners fear the city is losing an essential part of its identity. NBC's Janice Mackie Freyer has this one. For many, they're the heart and soul of Hong Kong. Neon lights that for decades have dazzled visitors and drenched the city in a kaleidoscope of confidence.

dollars, advertising everything from homeware to haircuts. But now due to new safety rules, Hong Kong's neon lights are going out. Authorities fear typhoons could bring the old signs down and are ordering many to be removed. At Hopping Hot Pot, a restaurant, they're mourning the loss of their 30-year-old sign. Our neon sign represented the energy of our family, said Chef Wang Sulun. We've definitely lost an important part of our culture. Neon lights are what represents Hong Kong. The city's neon jungle first emerged here in the 1950s amid post-war prosperity

and have gone on to inspire the world, providing a cyberpunk futuristic template for the movie Blade Runner and a backdrop for Marvel's Doctor Strange. There were around 150,000 neon signboards in Hong Kong in 2016, according to experts, now fewer than 500 remain. Some of the city's defunct neon signs end up here, rescued by the Tetra Neon Exchange. I had this crazy idea. I said, could we actually work together to stop it from ending up in a landfill? I have no idea how we could actually make it work, but could we do something?

General manager, Cardin Chan, says the signs have now become art and a way of telling Hong Kong story. up close we could actually collect stories the story of the city's iconic signs begins here in the workshops of neon masters but their numbers are dwindling too as the city lights dim I'm actually I'm I started in the neon business at the worst time neon maker Jive Lao says but if you have passion and you have fun you're able to stay alive the glass tubes emit a different color depending on the color of the glass and the gases used inside them. While there's still a market for neon, it's more modest than before.

With many businesses switching to cheaper LED lights or advertising online and not on the street. It's inevitable because nothing could actually stay the same, remain the same. As time marches on, everything just evolving and developing. And I think neon is no exception, right? Thank you for air, NBC News, Beijing. When we come back making music history, the National Recording Registry, announcing this year's inductees, the songs that made the list, including hits from Abba, notorious BIG, and even one beloved Christmas classic.

That's all next. Finally, tonight, the National Recording Registry releasing this year's list of music inductees, the classic songs and albums that made the cut spanning across decades and raging from Green Day, to Abba, to Gene Autry, NBC's Kathy Park has a look and to listen at this iconic list of hits. Tonight, the National Reporting Registry inducting some of the greatest hits

of the 20th century into music royalty. Abba's arrival album, including the timeless hit Dancing Queen, securing a spot on the list, alongside some other classic albums of the 70s. Like Blondie's parallel lines. Ain't no sunshine when she's gone. Bill Withers ain't no sunshine.

I guess you're just what I need her. And the Carr's 1978 self-titled album, which went platinum six times. Among the 25 inductees, some unexpected hits. You know Dash and Dancer and Dancer and France. Like Jean Autry's 1949 holiday classic Rudolph Rednose Reindeer. Oh, Ms. West, surely you must be joking. And Lily Tomlin's 1971 comedy album, This is a recording that cemented her in history as the first woman to win a Grammy for a solo comedy recording. There are a lot of genres represented here, and that's because they're trying to get a snapshot of life and music in this country.

Spanish language artist also getting their time in the spotlight. Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel's Amor Eterno or Eternal Love, snagging a spot on the list. His heartfelt ballad known for being one of the most played songs at memorials and funerals. And El Cantante by Puerto Rican singer Ector Lavaux, who paved the way for the rise of salsa music in pop culture. The genre bending list also recognizing the major rap icons of the 80s and 90s, including Dougie Fresh and Slick Rick's La-Di-Dadi.

And then Tori is BIG's Ready to Die. Anyone can nominate a song. In fact, there are thousands nominated this year alone. And what then happens is the National Recording Preservation Board goes and looks, and this is a collection of people that have expertise in the field of. culture, music, the arts, and they're all going to weigh in on what is really reflective and should be recorded throughout history as reflective of life in this country. The Registry also making nods to modern-day anthems, like Green Day's third studio

album, Dookie, that launched them from punk rock fringe to the mainstream. And the Chick's Grammy Award-winning album, Wide Overse. Open Spaces, closing out the star-studded list. We thank Kathy for that, look back at some of that great music. We thank you for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yam. Stay right there. More news on the way.