Top Story with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Episode Date: April 22, 2026

Tonight's Top Story has the latest breaking news, political headlines, news from overseas and the best NBC News reporting from across the country and around the world Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Breaking news tonight, President Trump extending the ceasefire with Iran just hours before it was set to expire. Talks breaking down with no clear timeline of what happens next. The president insisting the U.S. blockade will remain in place, but Iran demanding it end before talks begin. The vice president's plans to lead negotiations in Pakistan now on hold as U.S. forces intercept another oil tanker, plus our new reporting where Iran's current military capability stand. Also tonight, the troubling close call at JFK forcing one plane to perform a quick maneuver to avoid crashing into another. Plus, the new videos of planes hitting power lines and the Good Samaritans, saving a pilot who got trapped after his plane went down. New details in the deadly attack at a popular tourist site in Mexico, chilling video capturing the gunman on his rampage as bystanders try to hide.

We hear from an American about his daring escape jumping from a 15-foot ledge. Growing wildfire threat. In Georgia, a wall of flames and smoke forcing drivers to turn around. Neighborhoods and schools evacuated are Bill Karen standing by. Video capturing the moment hikers are caught in a volcanic eruption. Rocks exploding as they try to escape. Peptide craze, the wellness trend going viral, claiming to improve everything from muscle growth to skin health,

but is it safe? We speak with a doctor. And finding common ground are Jenna Bush-Hager sits down with the poor living, former U.S. presidents, their inspiring message ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary. Plus, more airlines scaling back flights and increasing costs, when to purchase your ticket before prices soar. Top story, it starts right now. And good evening. We start tonight with that breaking news. The clock is ticking down and neither side showing up to the negotiating table. The president extending the fragile ceasefire with Iran. President Trump announcing late this afternoon that the ceasefire will hold until Iran submits a proposal, citing their fractured leadership

as a reason for the delay. The president also confirming the U.S. naval blockade in the street of Hormuz will continue. It comes after days of uncertainty. Vice President J.D. Vance, who the president tapped to lead this round of negotiations, was standing by to head to Pakistan for talks, but that trip never got off the ground after reports that the Iranian team was not going to show up. All this is the U.S. sees another ship, this time in the Indian Ocean, These are the images. The military sharing this video of Marines landing on the vessel linked to Iran and taking control. The question's mounting tonight.

How long will the ceasefire extension last? And what will the U.S. see the Iranian proposal? Arir Simmons is on the ground in Pakistan. He leads us off. Tonight, President Trump dramatically extending his ceasefire with just hours to go. Posting, Pakistan asked him to delay an attack until the Iranian regime can come up with a unified proposal. but that he'll continue the blockade. The president had appeared optimistic about talks in Pakistan

just before nine this morning. I want to make a great deal. But by 1230, lead U.S. negotiator, Vice President Vance, arriving back at the White House, his trip to Pakistan off for today, with Iran refusing to commit to attend talks. Earlier, President Trump insisting the U.S. is in a strong negotiating position

to get Iran to sign a nuclear deal. We're going to make sure that they never have a nuclear weapon because they'll use it to blow it because they're religious fanatics and they will use that weapon to blow up the world. The U.S. blockade pressuring the Iranian regime. The Pentagon intercepted another oil tanker under sanctions this time in Southeast Asia, while President Trump saying an Iranian cargo ship seized Sunday by the U.S. Navy was carrying material from China.

We caught a ship yesterday that had some things on it, which wasn't very nice, a gift from China perhaps, I don't know. I thought I had an understanding with President Xi, but that's all right. That's the way war goes, right? Iran demanding the U.S. stop its blockade before any talks while reversing its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, firing on an oil tanker this weekend. Its captain pleading with Iran to stop its attack.

You gave me clearance to go. You're fighting now. Both sides today were threatening a return to war. NBC News learning Iran's military still retaining significant capabilities, despite being badly damaged, including having thousands of missiles and attack drones, according to a recent statement to lawmakers from the Pentagon's internal intelligence agency. Here in Pakistan's capital, officials say they've been in constant contact with Iran to

convince them to come back to the table. A police officer tells us this highway and large parts of the city are closed, ready for Vice President Vance and the Iranian delegation. And it will stay closed as long as there are peace talks, if there are peace talks. President Trump tonight indicating his season. The ceasefire will now last until talks are concluded, quote, one way or the other. And with that, Kyr Simmons joins us from Islamabad. So, Kier, what are we hearing from Iran tonight about this extended ceasefire?

And do we know what is keeping them from the negotiating table? Well, Tom, one headline on Iranian state television says simply Trump backs down. An advisor to Iran's lead negotiator, Mohammed Galabaf, saying that this is simply an attempt by the U.S. to by time in order to launch a surprise attack. To answer the second part of your question, Tom, I think it is true that there are divisions amongst the Iranian regime. There are hardliners who think that they can keep fighting and gain concessions from the US. There are others, particularly those among the negotiating team that Iran sent here to Islamabad last time,

who think it is time for talks and that they can reach compromises that way. I think also there are real challenges. in terms of communication. Remember that every one of these Iranian leaders, or certainly many of them, fear that they might be assassinated, particularly if they use electronic communication, which would identify where they are.

And finally, Tom, there is simply deep mistrust on both sides, but certainly on the part of the Iranians, which is going to make it very difficult, even if they do get back here to Islamabad for more talks to reach a deal on so many issues, Tom. All right, Kier Simmons in the region for us following all those developments. Here to break down the stakes of the delicate ceasefire with Iran as retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Danny Davis. We thank you for joining us.

Lieutenant Colonel, I want to ask you first about that oil tanker boarded by U.S. forces in the Indian Ocean. The Pentagon says it was providing material support to Iran. Could Iran view this type of action as a violation of the ceasefire? They absolutely do. In fact, their foreign minister, Abas, Arakshi, put on X-Tanat. that he absolutely views that and the blockade as acts of war. And they say that they will respond at an appropriate time. So in terms of where they're going to go next, that's the question. The IRGC were announced literally just minutes ago on their ex post that they will respond

militarily to the blockade. They will clear it one way or the other to use the one of the comments that they said. So it's one thing for the president to think that we're in a ceasefire, that we're going to extend it. But the question is, will the Iranian side go? go along with it. And the bottom line is we all have to understand, maybe we didn't go back to war or not, but that straight is still closed to traffic. Do you think extending the ceasefire was the president's plan all along? And the longer the ceasefire goes, who do you think it benefits? Well, it definitely works against our advantage. I think that the pain that it's going to cause for the Iranian side, President Trump said it'd be about $500 million a day. That's probably

close to accurate. But the problem is that the longer it stays close from our side, and that means the West writ large, not just the United States. I think that we have a lot more to pay and a lot more problems that are going to come, not only because of the oil, but because of the fertilizers, because of the urea, because of the helium, and lots of other things that have economic impacts across the region. And a lot of these problems are already baked in. And the longer this goes, the bigger the problem is going to be for us. So there's a lot of pressure on President Trump to find a way to end this. What's your read on the current readiness of U.S. assets in the region compared to Iran's now. I know we're moving around some aircraft carriers to give some

relief. What do you think is going on? I said we have a lot of firepower and according to both the Pentagon and some other sources that I've seen. We have more combat power. We have more ships. We have more missiles and we have more aircraft than we had at the beginning of this war. But here's the problem. We've used a profound amount of our stockpiles already. And it's just pretty much math. You just can't keep this up for a long time. This isn't like the Russia, Ukraine war, where they could go on and extend this for years. We can't go on. I don't think for many more months, and we're going to run out of her dangerously low in the Tomahawk cruise missiles, the Jasm cruise missiles, and then the interceptors for Thad and Pact 3. So there's some real

constraints. No matter how many ships and planes we have, it's the ammunition that really matters the most. All right, Lieutenant Danny Davis. So great to have you on. Lieutenant Colonel, I should say Danny Davis. Back here at home to the close call at JFK Airport in New York, one plane forced to perform a quick maneuver to avoid crashing into another as they prepared to land on a parallel run on parallel runways. NBC's Morgan Chesky has the details. Tonight a close call at JFK, an American Airlines regional jet missed its approach path, flying dangerously close to an Air Canada regional jet. On board alerts sounded on both, and they landed safely. The FAA is now investigating. The near miss comes after a string of incidents involving small planes. On the right side of your screen,

a plane-induced fireball swallowing power lines in a terrifying crash landing. The Monday collision near Los Angeles happening mere feet above passing cars and ending in an auto parts parking lot where helicopter footage caught the plane upside down. A group of witnesses working to lift the single-engine Susna high enough to allow the pilot described as a man in his 70s to be pulled to safety, critically injured but alive. My brother and 10 other people helped out to pick up the plane. When we picked up the plane, they took the guy out. Farther north, another crash landing.

This one, when a plane clipped power lines near Salinas Airport, officials say two people were on board. No injuries were reported. The cause of Friday's collision still unknown. And tonight in Mesa, Arizona, police sharing this video, capturing a small plane turning three lanes into its own airstrip. No one was injured. The department later posting, unexpected emergencies can happen anywhere. Stay alert.

Morgan Chesky, NBC News, Los Angeles. All right, now to new details on that deadly shooting rampage at a tourism spot in Mexico. Officials now confirming six Americans were among those injured. NBC's Priscilla Thompson has the latest on those victims and what we're learning about the shooter. Chilling new video appears to capture audio of a gunman on a deadly rampage on Mexico's tale. Wakan Pyramids. In the video, terrified bystanders are seen clinging to the ground, trying to hide. Jacqueline Gutierrez filmed it.

The guy was yelling things. He was telling us that this was a place for sacrifices and it wasn't a place for you to come take your stupid little pictures. He seemed to be targeting turst. As the screen goes black, people are heard crying as gunshots ring out. A Canadian woman was killed. was killed and 13 others injured officials say, including six Americans and a six-year-old boy who was shot. He's the one that you can hear crying in the video. And to me, that was the hardest part because in Spanish, she was saying, please don't kill me. What was it like laying there for those 14 minutes

as this is happening around you? Yeah, it felt like eternity. Authorities identified the shooter as 27-year-old Julio Cesar Haso Ramirez and said the attack was premeditated. Ramirez carried literature and images, according to investigators, that appear to be related to the Columbine massacre. He brought out a speaker, and he put a song on. It was really hard to tell exactly what it was, but I remember hearing a reference to Columbine. Monday's rampage occurring on the anniversary of that deadly shooting. Mexico's president now ordering increased security in archaeological zones and at tourist attractions, as the country prepares to welcome more than 5 million people for the World Cup.

Priscilla Thompson joins us now. Priscilla, this is such a wild story. What more do we know about the security preps ahead of the World Cup in light of what happened here? Yeah, so Mexico's president today said in no uncertain terms that security is going to be beefed up, especially around these archaeological sites and these hot tourism spots.

So we know that there were no metal detectors that were in place when this shooting happened yesterday. Mexican officials now saying that that is something that is going to be added to that site. And for now, it will remain closed where that shooting happened. But they also said that there's going to be more of a National Guard presence. There's going to be more surveillance. So they're making a lot of changes so that hopefully people can feel comfortable as they are preparing to welcome more than 5 million people for the World Cup this summer.

Tom. OK, Priscilla Thompson. We thank you. When urgent manhunt is underway in Philadelphia tonight, after armed suspects stole more than a million dollars from a month. of Brinks truck in broad daylight. NBC's Air McLaughlin has the surveillance images tonight. Tonight in Philadelphia, an urgent manhunt for these suspects.

The federal law enforcement sources tell NBC news carried out a daylight robbery of a Brinks truck. Someone just robbed a Brink's truck. With NBC 10 in Philadelphia reporting, they allegedly stole more than a million dollars. Shortly before 9.45 in the morning, police say two gunmen jumped out of a parked car, armed with assault rifles, and attacked the truck. The getaway car later found underneath the freeway. Everything just happened fast. It was so quick. I witnessed Karina Torres says she was feet away.

What I saw was just the end, like where the car just took off. That's it. Because like we did saw like a little tussling. This latest heist after a string of brazen robberies targeting armored trucks across Pennsylvania last summer. Unclear if there's any connection to today's attack. Police have released no details on the suspect. The FBI has taken over the investigation. Okay, Aaron, thank you for that. And on Capitol Hill, another major resignation tonight. Florida Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Sherfilis McCormick resigning from the House minutes before a House ethics panel was set to meet to consider her expulsion.

The embattled representative was found guilty of 25 ethics violations last month and is accused of stealing federal relief funds. Her criminal trial is expected to begin next year. She has pled not guilty in the case. Sheryllis McCormick is now the third House member to resign in just over her. a week. All right, and polls have just closed in Virginia, where voters are deciding to approve or deny a new Democratic-drawn congressional map that could give Democrats a major advantage heading into the midterms and even shift the balance of power in a closely divided House of Representatives. NBC, Steve, Kornacki, said the big board tonight. Steve, we have a graphic here showing the old and new districts. Explain how this new map would benefit Democrats and explain to us this

lobster district that everyone is talking about because it is monstrous, if you will. Yeah, Tom, I mean, this is what gerrymandering looks like, Tom. This is the redrawing or the drawing of congressional lines to clearly give one side a partisan advantage. And in Virginia, where Democrats control the levers of power, that's what they're attempting to do. And so to gerrymander, it means often you're going to have to create very oddly shaped districts that sort of, they swoop into certain areas that benefit your party. And then they sort of cut away from areas that don't. And you try to consolidate the other party into his few. districts as possible. And the upshot of it is, it's a six to five map right now for the Democrats. Eleven congressional districts in the state, six of them Democratic, five of them Republican. If this plan is approved tonight, and you can see, we've now got close to 10% of the vote in statewide. The yes side is leading here. And the yes side's gotten some encouraging numbers early from one key county, certainly. So if that yes side does win the night, six to five for the Democrats, becomes 10 to one for the Democrats. And that map you're showing would then go.

into effect. And Republicans were certainly hoping and are certainly hoping that the pretty explicit nature of the gerrymandering, looking at a map like that, clearly seeing what's going on, that that would unnerve voters and sort of be too far, a bridge too far for voters tonight. We'll see in the results if that does give pause here. But again, it's the difference tonight between 6 to 5 going in, and if this map passes 10 to 1 for the Democrats. All right. And then Steve, how consequential could this be heading into the midterms, especially talking about balance of power as we're going to watch everything that happens from now until November. Yeah, no, I mean, it's very significant because, look, at the start of this midterm cycle, there were only three Republican districts in the country,

excuse me, that were sort of in this most vulnerable category that had voted against Donald Trump. If this map passes tonight, you know, that adds four more to it. There's already been some other states that have gotten in the mix. There'll now be 12 Republican districts around the country that under these new lines would have voted against Trump. There's a lot more opportunities for Democrats that they've sort of drawn themselves, especially in California last fall, and what they're trying to do here in Virginia tonight. Yeah, before you go, you know, we do so much reporting on sort of gerrymandering and the redrawing of congressional maps. And lately, Republicans have been getting a lot of flag for it in different states like Texas

and things like that. I know this is a little bit out of your wheel, but you're a very astute political observer. What are Democrats essentially saying tonight? Are they saying that they need to fight fire with fire? Yeah, I mean, they've made that case. They've said, look, Republicans started, this is what the Democrats would say, Republicans started this in Texas last year. The president encouraged Republicans in Texas to redraw that map for a partisan advantage. Republicans in Texas did that. Republicans and some other states have done that. And so Democrats have made the case, yes, that if they're going to do that, they say, then we're going to do that. Gavin Newsom said that out in California last fall. And Democrats in Virginia, again, they had a big

election last November in Virginia. Democrats had a big night. They won the governorship in a landslide. They had a big night in the state legislature, and they've chosen to use that power in part to do this. Steve Kornacki, he can do the ponies, he can do the congressional districts, and he can do the analysis. Steve, we thank you for that. We appreciate it. We're back in a moment with the fast-moving wildfires ripping through parts of the South, triggering evacuation warnings. We're tracking the areas most at risk. Plus more turbulence for summer travel. Major airlines now cutting flights as the price of jet fuel sores, so when's the best time to buy? And a close call caught on camera when an electric wheelchair. Look at this.

Suddenly burst into flames. What happened ahead on top story? We are back now with the urgent wildfire threat across the south. Right now, evacuation orders issued in parts of southeast Georgia. Take a look at this, a black wall of fire and smoke forcing drivers to turn around in Waynesville, Georgia. Flames engulfing trees on the side of the highway, and near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a massive plumes of smoke, closing in on homes as wildfires explode there. And down in Florida, smoke filling the sky near Tampa, you can see another massive wall of smoke completely cutting off the road there. I want to bring a meteorologist Bill Caron's bill.

This is kind of wild. Flames are popping up all over the place. Walk us through the areas at risk right now. It's the South, and then tomorrow we'll talk about the plains in Colorado. But this is the worst drought we've ever measured in the southeast. This doesn't come as a surprise. We knew this was going to be a really bad spring fire season. 71% of Florida is in extreme drought, and a good chunk of southern Georgia is just as bad.

And that's where a lot of our big fires are. Our satellite imagery, this is the smoke plumes coming off these huge blazes. This Brantley fire, this was the one that caused the evacuations today. It was 75% contained, but the low humidity, the winds picked up, and it jumped the containment lines. And that's why we had those evacuations today. And this won't stop until we get the rain, and there's none in the forecast all the way through the weekend. And then tomorrow we get the winds going through the inner mountain. west out into the plains. We're going to see high wind gust, the fire dangerous high, the snow's

already melted. Things have already dried out, Tom. Tomorrow at this time will be a very dangerous day, especially coming out of Colorado into areas of New Mexico. All right. Then before you go, I know we're also tracking a possible tornado in California, and that's pretty rare. I mean, we cover a lot of extreme weather here. I don't know if I've heard of that one. Yeah, this was pretty wild. California gets a couple tornadoes every year, but this was a tornado warning that was actually for Fresno. So everyone on their phones got a notification for a tornado warning. the Fresno area. Thankfully, it did not touch down in anywhere that was populated, no injuries, no fatalities, no damage, just those pictures that you saw there. That threat has now ended, Tom, thankfully.

All right. Bill Caron's covering it all coast to coast for us. Thank you. Now to major airline slashing flight routes amid high jet fuel prices, just as so many are gearing up to fly. Sam Brock tonight on why summer travel for so many is up in the air. Tonight it's another turbulent twist. For passengers already, dealing with a double blow of higher airfare and increased bag fees. Airlines slashing routes. Delta now the latest major carrier to join the list, cutting some flights for three months from busy hubs like JFK, Boston and Detroit.

Jet fuel sky high jump linked to the conflict in the Middle East appears to be taking a toll at home. Why are airline tickets so expensive right now? I'm like, should I hold off on buying flights? Are things going to get better? Confusion for consumers over costs and routes, as Delta says in part, it routinely adjusts its network as part of its normal planning process and evaluates a range of factors when making these decisions. Tonight, we're learning Lufthansa will cancel 20,000 short haul flights in a bid to save jet fuel.

It comes as low-cost carriers in the United States, like already struggling spirit have pleaded for help from the government with President Trump today calling on a healthier company to buy them. Katie Nastro is a travel expert at going.com. Low-cost carriers operate on razor-thin margins to begin with. And if they're struggling in the way that Spirit Airlines is struggling, that really is a red flag for low-cost carriers in general. Now airline CEOs bracing passengers for a bumpy ride. I also don't know how long oil prices will take the coming, even if this ends. Like, there's a long time to get back to normal.

Okay, Sam Brock joins us now. Sam, I know you're playing the role of travel experts tonight. So, I mean, it's just logic. I mean, should you book right now? The longer that you wait to book, the more problematic this becomes. So for context, summer is the big money-making season for the airlines. What's been going on because of the jet fuel, obviously, skyrocketing, is that airlines have been raising their prices bit by bit. If you get too high, though, Tom, it depresses demand.

So instead, what we're seeing is companies like Delta coming out and eliminating some of the routes. But that only goes so far. The prices are likely to continue rising as long as this conflict isn't resolved. Here's the thing. If for whatever reason you book now and the prices go, down, most airlines will honor a rebooking without fees or give you credit back as long as you don't book basic economy. That is a hack for those that are out there. Like, well, what if the prices go down? You can get your money back. Just don't book basic. Yeah, basic's the cheapest,

though. Okay, all right, good to know. Sam, we thank you for all that. Appreciate it, man. Still to come tonight, the big change for the nation's second largest school district, this is breaking news just in. The vote restricting screen time for students in L.A. Could other school districts follow? Plus Madonna's missing clothes, you heard that one before, why the Grammy winner is asking for help finding her Coachella outfit. Someone stole it. But first, top story's top moment and the young fan capturing not just a ball, but the hearts of America at this weekend's Pittsburgh Pirates game.

Six-year-old Elle came to the game, reppping her favorite player, outfielder Jake Magnum. In between innings Magnum spotted the young super fan and threw a ball into the stands. Elle's big brother, Edward, made the catch. And what happened next? well, it's priceless. And that girl has the Jake Mangum jersey on and wants to

make sure he's... Dogger. Look at that. Oh, I love it. Oh, that's why you bring your glove to. Oh, look at that. That's heartwarming. Someone get the Kleenex. Get a little emotional here.

That is awesome. And get this, the moment caught the attention of Pirates owner, Bob Nutting, who invited L. Edward and their parents to attend a game in his suite next week and meet Magnum on the field. That's so great. Stay with us. More Top Story on the way. Back down with Top Stories News Feed, we start in Florida,

where the state's attorney general is launching a new criminal investigation into OpenAI. The AG says they're looking into whether ChatGPT helped an alleged gunman plan a shooting at Florida State University that killed two people last year. In a statement to NBC News, an OpenAI spokesperson said that ChatGPT is not responsible for the crime and that they did not encourage illegal activity. And dramatic video out of Florida of an electric wheelchair just exploding outside of a home. Look at this. The owner told her our NBC affiliate she brought it out to the driveway after it started making clicking sounds.

And just seconds later, the chair erupted into flames. There was an issue with the lithium battery and that she recently bought the wheelchair from a thrift store. That's weird. Madonna is asking for help after she says some of her costumes went missing. The Grammy winner surprised fans at Coachella last week and showing up on stage with Sabrina Carpenter. but after the show, Madonna posted online that some of the vintage pieces she wore were gone. She says the outfits have special significance

and are more than just clothes. She's now offering a reward for anyone who returns the items. Okay. And a super rare catch off the coast of Cape Cod. Look at this. It's a split-color lobster. Whoa, right down the middle.

The chances of finding one in the wild, one in 50 million. The fishing company that reeled it in says they're donating it to a science aquarium so you won't be seeing this guy in your supermarket or in your lobster roll anytime soon. Okay, now to the major change that is coming to the nation's second largest school district that could have ripple effects across the country. And this just in L.A. schools voting to approve restrictions on screen time in the classroom.

Our Liz Kreutz has all the details. Tonight, Los Angeles unified voting to become the first major school district in the country to limit and in some cases ban screen time, including the use of iPads and computers. in the classroom. I believe that we have the opportunity to lead the nation. The push for a return to pen and paper assignments coming after months of mounting pressure from parents, like Kate Brody, who helped form the group's schools beyond screens after she learned about the daily iPad time in her son's first grade class.

How would you describe the tech that your son is being given and told to use? It's highly gamified. It's like candy. It is addictive, and this is sold as personalized learning. but it's really anti-social. The district's new policy will ban the use of devices in the classroom through first grade and set recommended screen time limits for all other grades, including no screens during recess for middle and elementary school students.

It will also restrict student access to YouTube over concerns about the platform's ads and autoplay. Post-COVID, there was a proliferation of ed tech and the promise of ed tech, but a lot of these resources, if well, attention, are not effective in moving. kids work they need to be academically. LA Unified defends their use of tech, saying in part, devices are used to enhance learning and develop students' ability to navigate technology safely. But many families say it's gone too far. Some states, including Utah, Alabama and Virginia, have passed similar laws to also restrict

screen time in school. We want school to be a place where childhood is protected and for kind of a life of the mind to flourish. All right, Liz Kroitz joins us tonight. Liz, the vote passed nearly unanimous. Are we hearing any arguments against removing screen time from the classroom? Yeah, Tom, it just had an overwhelming support. 601 member recusing themselves.

There was applause from parents when this passed. There was so much support for this. Some people will point out that these ed tech digital learning tools can help when you have different skill levels in a classroom. So that's one thing people argue in support of it. And then, of course, there's also the argument that, you know, kids need to learn how to use technology. But a lot of the parents we talk to say, look, our kids are getting plenty of screen time. That is not the problem. Let kids go back to pen and paper learning.

And also, if you're going to use computers, just to have a more effective strategy. They effectively want to go back to more like computer labs, where you really learn how to use these devices in the long run. And we will say this is taking off this Schools Beyond Screens movement. Tom says they're now opening up chapters across the country. Okay. Yeah, definitely a big moment there. Liz, we thank you. Coming up, a story we've been following on top story.

in a tough job market, a growing number of Americans are turning to nursing for job security, why it's one career that may be AI-proof. Plus, the new push for peptides, the latest health and wellness trend exploding on social media, what you need to know. We're back now with the Americas where we've been keeping a close eye on Cuba. NBC News can confirm that a State Department official visited the island for the first time in a decade. A State Department source says a U.S. military aircraft landed in Cuba, bringing senior representatives to meet Cuban regime officials for diplomatic negotiations. A source also tells NBC that in a separate meeting, a senior U.S. official spoke with Raul Castro's

grandson, Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, also known as Raulito, who at one point was Raul Castro's bodyguard. Here with his perspective is Ricardo Zuniga, who worked for the State Department under President Obama and played a key part in trying to normalize U.S.-Cuba relations. Ricardo, thank you so much for joining Top Story tonight. You wrote a guest opinion in the New York Times titled, Trump isn't taking Cuba, he's starving it. I want to put it up for our viewers here.

Here's an excerpt, you write, a top existing humanitarian miseries. The Trump administration has heaped the threat of war and blocked most oil shipments to the island, bringing transportation, food distribution, and other basic services to a halt. Administration officials have made clear that 2026 is the year they intend to bring down

the country's communist government. The only thing missing is a plan. Expand on that for our viewers here, Ricardo. What do you mean? What do you think the Trump administration is doing wrong? Well, look, I mean, first of all, I want to say this is a really complex issue. And to think that you're going to apply a model that was used in Venezuela and Cuba, I think is looking at the problem very, in a very simplistic way.

I don't, I'm not saying that that's what they're doing. It's not exactly clear what it is that they are doing when they're threatening to take the out of the island by force, negotiating, on the other hand, cutting off fuel shipments except for one Russian shipment. It's very unclear what they're doing, other than trying to build up leverage with the Cuban authorities. That part is clear. What I was saying in that, trying to say in that essay was that basically heaping additional problems on top of the Cuban population that is already facing critical social issues and malnutrition is the wrong way to go about it. Yeah, there have been a lot of developments lately, as you know.

On the official side, you have Cuban leader, Diaz Canel, right, and deputy foreign minister, Carlos Fernandez de Cocio. Then you have descendants of Raul Castro, his son known as the one-eyed man, and his grandson known as El Canrejo or Raulito. How do you think, or who do you think, I should say, is calling the shots right now? Look, in Cuba, this is why it's what makes it different from Venezuela. It's really a consortium of leaders, and it's a cohesive government that's been in power for 67 years. There are not visible factions and differences within that group in power. And you're

talking about the head of the Communist Party, really, Raul Castro still, despite his age, the head of the armed forces, the head of the Ministry of Interior, and the head of Gaessa, the military, the economic wing of the armed forces. Those are all powerful actors in Cuba. And those are the leaders that have to be kind of brought along or convinced or overcome in any change scenario. Who do you think it's in charge? Do you think it's Diaz-Canel and the people that the administration is putting forward in interviews to American media? Or do you think it's the Castro family still very much in charge? No doubt the Castro family has members that are very much in charge, but nobody like Raul Castro in terms of their stature. And you have, as I said,

it's probably a group of leaders, not a single leader. And it's, think, it more like a board rather than a single one-party state. That's a good way to explain it. What do you think is being negotiated right now with the Trump administration and the Cuban government? Do you think the Trump administration is negotiating an exit plan for the Castro family, or is there a scenario where members of the family stay in Cuba and maybe stay in power? Well, I think some people who saw what happened in Venezuela fear that the same sort of scenario could take place in Cuba, where you have a nominal change in power, a transition where one leader goes and is replaced by somebody who really

comes from the regime itself. And that's caused a lot of consternation in some quarters in the United States that it wouldn't be so much a regime transition as a replacement by somebody who's opposed to the United States with an equally authoritarian leader who is relatively friendly to the United States. And I think in the case of Cuba, you're talking about a much more deeply rooted system that needs to be changed. So the difficult task for anyone on the U.S. side is essentially to convince this leadership that their model has come to an end and that they might have a future, but it's going to be a future in a different kind of Cuba. That is a very hard message to convey effectively. What did you learn from negotiating with the Cubans?

Well, I learned number one that they are deeply committed to remaining in power, obviously. That was no surprise. I think what surprised me was that even though Raul Castro and others at the time seemed open to a certain kind of rapprochement with the United States, the hardliners and the hardline factions are pretty widespread. The people who have a stake in remaining and things staying the same are very clear. The other thing I learned was that that same leadership has no model for the way forward in Cuba. And they resisted calls for change and reform even from China.

other friendly countries. Yeah, I want to talk about your negotiations and the Obama era that tried to sort of thaw relations. The Wall Street Journal recently had a story where they write for initiating what became known as the Cuban thaw. What did the U.S. get in return? The New York Times reported there was never an official quid pro quo. The regime made vague promises, and even after releasing a few dozen prisoners, they made more politically motivated arrest. Then when the U.S. held the ceremony for the embassy reopening, no dissidents were invited. Regardo, how did that feel? Was there a point where you realized the regime wasn't willing to make a real change?

We knew all along that the regime itself wasn't going to change. We weren't trying to change their opinion. We knew that they weren't going to change it after that point 57 years. We were trying to change the context around them, which is why Fidel Castro reacted so strongly when President Obama expressed support

for the growth of small businesses and economic reform on the island. The truth is what President Obama was promoting, was much more popular in Cuba, including access to the internet, which was much, much lower at the time that we did these negotiations. In fact, President Obama's message of optimism, of emphasis on improving the condition of Cuban citizens was much more popular than the Cuban government's message, and that's why they hardened their position. That's fascinating to understand. So, I mean, earlier in this segment, you were saying that the

Trump administration didn't have a plan. Did you guys have a plan, and was it based more on the that Obama's charisma and personality would change Cuba? No, it was based on the idea that Cuban domestic pressure, that popular pressure for change was stronger in the end than the regime's capacity to hang on to an island without changing it at all. So essentially, the people hopefully would rise up, is what the hopes were? No, no, no, no, it wasn't that at all. It was that the people would demand changes on a daily basis, which they did.

They wanted greater access to consumer goods. They wanted greater access to information. They wanted greater access to travel. They wanted greater access to basic things like credit and the kinds of things that the United States was making possible. And the kinds of things that we use through foreign assistance and other ways to promote change in authoritarian societies all over the world.

Cuba was kind of an exception. So what we were doing was putting, having the, helping the Cuban population put pressure for change on the Cuban regime. And we saw that those calls for change were frustrated not just by the hardliners aligned with Fidel Castro, but then by the first Trump administration, when they ended all of those sort of benefits for the Cuban population.

What do you think happens here, regardless, since you've negotiated with them and you have experience here? Do you think the Cubans try to wait this out and maybe just try to not do anything, stall as much as they can before the midterms, before maybe even the end of the Trump administration? Do you think that they're going to try to play a long game here? They've played it for 68 years, right?

Yes, and especially over the last. last decade when it's been crystal clear that they didn't have a plan for improving the condition for Cuban citizens. I mean, that's the fundamental problem here, is that they have a model that has failed that will not improve. They have to open the economy. They have to open the society. They have to give greater freedoms. But they've played the long game now, not just from the beginning of the revolution, but especially in this period. They're going to continue to play for time. But that's all they have. They do not have a plan for a way forward, and they're hoping for an external benefactor that's not going to come to rescue them.

So at this point, like the pressure for change is inevitable. Whether it's the United States driving it or the Cuban population driving it, I mean, I think they don't really have an option. And that's the part they're having a hard time grappling with. Do you think Diaz-Conell and Oro Castro is still in power in a year? I think that they are going to be increasingly challenged to keep things exactly the way they are. They may be in power, but I think that there's going to be a steady decline in the ability of the Cuban state to hang on to power exactly in the way they're. They may be in power, but I think that there's going to be a steady decline in the ability of the Cuban state to hang on to power exactly in the way that they've had it now. You're talking about a transition that might be managed or one that might be accelerated.

And my central contention here is that this does not require military force. It does require pressure. It does require diplomacy. But this is not one where the Cuban people should bear additional costs ahead of that change. Ricardo Zuniga, we hope to have you on again. We thank you so much for your time tonight here on Top Story. Thank you, Tom. Now to Top Stories, Global Watch, a check of what else is happening around the world. And we start with a mass trial in El Salvador for nearly 500 suspected gang members linked to MS-13.

The country's Attorney General's office says the group is collectively accused of committing more than 47,000 crimes, including murder, extortion, and drug trafficking. United Nations experts have criticized the use of mass trials, saying they undermine presumption of innocence for detainees. In South Korea, police say they're looking to arrest a prominent music mogul behind the K-pop supergroup, B.T.S. His name is Bang C. Yuk. Authorities are investigating allegations that he legally made more than $100 million in an investor fraud scheme. In a statement to the AP, Bang's legal team did not directly address the accusations, but said they've been cooperating with investigators. And a terrifying moment in Guatemala when a group of hikers got caught near the top of volcano as it started erupting. Look at this. You can see people scrambling as a massive cloud of ash shoots into the air, sending rocks flying around them. Here's another angle from further away showing some of the hikers running down the hillside.

Government officials now warning people to stay away from the volcano. Back here at home to an update on a story we first brought to you on top story a few weeks back about the career that might be AI proof. Right now a growing number of Americans are turning to nursing amid an uncertain job market. Our Emily Aketa explains what's driving the shift to health care. Frantic patients, open wounds, and a smoky landscape. I got ambulances on the way. In this emergency simulation, Columbia University nursing students are preparing for real-life emergencies. We have folks coming in from law, the food industry, from business, from finance.

Second ambulance on the scene. Natalia Paskolensky's students are part of a nursing boom. The Labor Department last year reporting health care as the large. source of job creation in the U.S. at a time when many industries are shrinking, in part because of artificial intelligence. Why do you say nursing is AI-proof? I don't think that AI can pick up on the minute nuances that may happen in human emotion, that one-on-one, that empathy. Amid an aging population, the Wall Street Journal calls nursing the surefire new path to American prosperity. With growth in salary, the medium wage nearly double other occupations and opportunity.

I definitely wanted to be able to pivot at any point. I wanted the flexibility. Dasha Ephraimov already has experience as a bedside nurse, but is back in school with the goal of becoming a nurse practitioner, so she can diagnose patients and prescribe medications. I think knowing that in nursing, you don't have to be married to the exact specialty that you start off in is incredible. Still, the industry isn't within.

its challenges, tough hours, physical and emotional demands, and strained staffing levels. So never be defeated. But many agree their work is a passion. It's definitely exhausting at times, but the positive patient outcomes make it all worth it. And the opportunity and need for nurses is expected to continue to grow. Seniors will outnumber likely people under the age of 18 years old by 2035, which is part of the reason why the Labor Department projects that health care's growth is expected to outpace even AI and tech services jobs over the next decade. Tom? Emily Aketa Forrest, Emily, thank you. We're staying on the health care beat now, and we're turning to a popular wellness craze that's taking over social media.

Have you heard of peptides? Some people online claim they can help with everything from muscle growth to skin care, but do scientists and doctors agree? Our Jesse Kirsch takes a deep dive. Why was I so late to the game on peptides? Like, everybody's doing that? This is my first morning trying peptides. From the wellness world to those obsessed with fitness, tonight one word keeps popping up, peptides. This is the newest thing that I've included into my routine. These two peptides have changed my life. Let's talk about it. Peptides are protein building blocks involved in a range of body functions.

They're made naturally in the body, but can also be synthesized in a lab and injected. And now that category is exploding in popularity. What is your stack of peptides that you like? So I do, I do NAD. Okay. Do you do the IV or the shot? Enthusiastic users, wellness influencers, and some celebrities claiming they can reduce wrinkles, boost muscles, and more. Even the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is among those singing peptides praises. I've used them myself and used them with really good effect.

And now the FDA, under his leadership, has announced it will convene a panel in July that, that could expand the list of approved peptides. But despite the buzz, many doctors warned the research does not back up the hype, at least not yet. Whether it's for building muscle, fighting the effects of aging, healing an injury, are those all potential possibilities that just haven't been confirmed yet?

Yes. I think that that's kind of a good way to think about it. It's definitely a leap to say, well, if it does this in a laboratory animal, it's going to do this in a human, You can't say that. The Biden administration cracked down on peptides, classifying more than a dozen as having significant safety risks pending further evaluation. And out of the potentially millions of peptides, the FDA has only approved a small fraction,

including semaglutide, which is used in GLU-1s like OZMPIC. Secretary Kennedy says that strict regulation has driven people to unregulated shadowy markets. But many doctors say it's premature to roll back restrictions. We really do not have a wide body of human data on this. Not at all. Not at all. No. Until that's studied, you know, the right way, I just think it's a leap and potentially dangerous

to start, you know, having them made without regulation and oversight. Jesse, Chris, joins us now. Jesse, let's go back to what you mentioned there about the risks. Are we talking minor side effects or something more serious? Yeah, Tom, some researchers have even expressed concerns. that cancer cell growth could be a possibility, but the reality is that we do not know the full extent of possible side effects. And one of the things that is pointed to is a lack of extensive human trial data. So that is something that some people want to see. More testing in humans before you see things broadly looked at in a loosened regulation area. The other thing that is a concern for some is that if you have something that's getting talked about a lot, and some suddenly is able to effectively cut corners and bypass the traditional FDA process. What kind of message is that sending?

So there's a lot of questions still outstanding about this tonight, Tom. All right, Jesse Curris. Jesse, we thank you for that. When we come back tonight here on Top Story, the exclusive sit-down with all four former living U.S. presidents. Argena Bush-Ager asked them about their most meaningful moments in office and their message to Americans ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary. Stay with us.

Finally, tonight, a rare sit-down with the four-living former. presidents. They were gathered at an event hosted by the History Channel called History Talks in partnership with our corporate parent Comcast. Ahead of America 250, our Jenna Bush-Hager sat down with them one-on-one, part of an NBC News Common Ground Initiative focused on bringing people together in search of solutions to the challenges we face across the country. For 250 years, America has been led by a president picked by the people. The greatest honor of my life or any American's life. A centuries-long history of duty and service.

You get to meet the widest possible cross-section of the American people. Hi, Dad. Our Jenna Bush Hake sat down with the four living former presidents. What's it like to be part of the ex-president club? Well, it can be boring when we're all together. No, it's an honor. When we're together, there's a great camaraderie because we all shared something special. As we celebrate the 250 years of our democracy, how do you hope the history books see your service?

Well, I hope it's not unlike I see your dad's and your grandfather's service, as generated by making sure everybody got a shot. Obviously, we're going through some uncertain times and polarization. We've gone through rough patches, and we tend to come out on the other side of them stronger. The country will survive as much by the process, by the freedom to speak, by the freedom to vote, by the freedom to be active in politics, as by any particular issue. One of the things about the 250th is a chance to focus on the common good and the wonders of this country. But the beauty about democracy, Jen, is that it's self-correcting. And one of the key things I'm going to try to do during the 250 is encourage citizens to participate in the process.

If we hold true to that idea, that we, the people, have been gifted this chance of self-government. If we pay attention to our responsibilities and our duties, and if we, extend respect and thoughtfulness to our fellow citizens, even if we disagree with them. If we understand that part of this democratic project is to sort through our differences in peaceful, legal ways, then I'm confident that we're going to have another 250-year run that's going to be just as good. Thanks so much for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yomis in New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.