Top Story with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, August 26, 2025

Episode Date: August 26, 2025

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

Tonight, firefighters racing to get the upper hand on wildfires raging out west. Flames erupting in central Oregon, scorching homes and businesses. The picket fire threatening California's fame Napa Valley wineries. Overseas a helicopter losing control, attempting to scoop water to battle fires in France. Plus, the powerful dust storm sweeping through Burning Man. Also tonight, what caused this massive explosion in Missouri, leveling several homes in one neighborhood, multiple people rushed to the hospital, debris sent flying, neighbors say it felt like an earthquake. Israel striking a main hospital in Gaza, killing 20 people, including five journalists.

Video capturing a second blast just as rescue workers moved in. The chaos inside as doctors and nurses scrambled to save their own. How could this happen? President Trump's next target in his federal crackdown on crime, could Chicago see National Guard Troops move in? Marking 20 years since Hurricane Katrina, we look back at the catastrophic, and deadly storm that brought overwhelming devastation and forever-changed communities, how the slow-motion disaster unfolded.

Countdown to liftoff. The SpaceX launched just minutes away after several failed attempts is tonight all systems go. We'll bring it to you live. And what goes up must come down. The incredible landing after a hot air balloon veers off course, narrowly missing homes and power lines. The group of people on the ground preventing a near disaster. Plus, could you be forced to shell out extra? for packages from overseas.

The major change to shipping that could cost you. Top story. It starts right now. And good evening. We begin tonight with the late summer blast of extreme weather, fiery, hot, and dusty conditions gripping the U.S. and the world. Take a look. This is Oregon, the flat fire, destroying multiple homes and buildings you can see why.

It's fueled by extreme heat and high winds with containment still in the single-dial. digits. Video showing the crucial fight from the air entire neighborhoods coated in fire retardant. And these are the orange smoke-filled skies in northern California as crews battle the picket fire in Napa County, triggering evacuations and red flag warnings. Firefighters dropped off in remote and rugged areas, you see that here, to fight the fire from all angles. A similar scene in Europe where dozens of wildfires rage on, leading to this terrifying moment caught on camera in France, a helicopter trying to collect water, spitting out of control and plunging into a lake. And back in the U.S., a massive dust storm hitting Burning Man in Nevada, 50-mile-per-hour winds slamming campsites

and leaving thousands stranded in their cars. We'll have the latest on all the severe weather threats, as millions remain under heat alerts. But we want to start with NBC's Morgan Chesky, who leads us off from L.A. Tonight, high winds and brutal heat, fueling a bitter West Coast firefight. Flames and Central Oregon scoffice. porching homes and more than 21,000 acres, the fight to contain crucial from above, where key drops saved entire neighborhoods. We did have some new growth yesterday, but caught it relatively early. Red flag warnings now cover parts of Oregon, Washington in California, where crews are battling the picket fire in Napa Valley.

The terrain so rough, helicopters dropped off firefighters by day. firefighters by day before searching for hotspots at night. It's amazing. Yeah, I've never seen him run at night before this year, so it's pretty incredible. Despite burning nearly 7,000 acres, crews say they've reached 13% containment and counting. It's comforting to know that they were on it right away. We also got lucky with the wind. In neighboring Nevada. Oh, my God, the whole side of the RV. Fierce winds, whipping through the popular Burning Man Festival this weekend. The 50-mile-per-hour gusts destroying tents, and temporarily shutting down entry, leaving thousands stuck in their cars for hours.

Campsites covered in layer after layer of dust. Across the country, even New York wasn't immune to wild weather. Severe thunderstorms forced hundreds to take shelter at the state fair, where heavy rain and high winds wreaked absolute havoc. Okay, Morgan, Chesky joins us tonight from Southern California. So Morgan, these ongoing heat alerts can't be helping firefighting efforts. Yeah, Tom, they're certainly complicating these ongoing firefights up and down the West Coast. And at last check, 11 million Americans are now facing heat alerts for the time being on a West Coast that still remains at an incredibly high risk for more wildfires.

Tom. Okay, Morgan Chesky, leading us off tonight. We're also following breaking news out of Missouri, an early morning home explosion rocking a St. Louis suburb. One neighbor saying it felt like an earthquake. At least five homes destroyed and four people hurt, one severely. NBC's Adrian brought us has the details. Tonight, the alarming aftermath in a neighborhood outside St. Louis. Two homes flattened by an explosion.

Others burned to the ground. Residents terrified. I heard boom, and my doors shook and my bells on my door shook. And I said, oh, my God, is it an earthquake? Multiple injuries were also reported. They walking people out on stretches. For miles, people could see this thick black smoke rising. As soon as I heard it and felt it, I got up and ran.

over there and I've seen one house that was already crumbled. Fire officials say the explosion triggered multiple alarms across the city, knocking out power and forcing a neighboring Walmart to evacuate. Upon arrival, the initial crews found multiple buildings burning. Total of five were reported. We do have three individuals that have been transported to the hospital at this time. The cause of the explosion is under investigation and authorities are still trying to determine the scope of the damage. Some are damaged so much. We couldn't get in there. We had to send cadaver dogs. And tonight, as they look at the devastation, people here saying it's a miracle no one was killed. I got a call from my sister. She was screaming in the phone. Like, help, help,

like my house. I'm just so grateful that she and my niece and nephew, they're all fine. So that's what matters most. Everyone is safe. Adrian joins us tonight from Chicago. Adrian, one of the weird things about this, right, is that two houses completely exploded in this home explosion. Any idea what led to this? And where's the latest on the investigation? Investigators are still trying to determine the exact cause of that explosion and where it started. Tonight, Tom, we know that bomb and arson investigators are on scene. The fire chief saying that's standard protocol after an explosion like this. He also told us at least 20 homes were damaged. A woman On scene there today, speaking with reporters, said she lives about five miles away, and the force from that blast was so strong and knocked the pictures hanging on her wall off the wall.

The American Red Cross is assisting those who were displaced tonight, Tom. All right, Adrian, with a lot of new reporting there. Adrian, thank you. To the Middle East now in the deadly Israeli strike on a hospital in southern Gaza, at least 20 people killed in the attack, including nearly half a dozen journalists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now calling it a tragic mishap. Molly Hunter is on the ground in Jerusalem tonight. Outside of southern Gaza's only functioning hospital, chaos after an Israeli strike. Minutes later, with first responders and journalists on the scene, a second blast. Seen live on the air, striking the same spot.

And here, that moment inside the hospital, in all 20 people were killed. The now mangled staircase at the side of Nassar Hospital was a lifeline for journalists, a well-known place to access Wi-Fi. Five journalists are among the dead, Hossam al-Masari with Reuters, Merriam Abu Daka, a photographer with the AP, Muhammad Salama with Al Jazeera, and freelancers Moez Abutaha and Ahmed Abu Aziz. Tonight, Israel says it's investigating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posting, Israel deeply regrets the tragic mishap at the hospital.

We are operating in an extremely complex reality. Hamas terrorists deliberately use civilian infrastructure, including hospitals as shields. In Washington, President Trump was asked about it today. I don't want to see it. At the same time, we have to end that whole nightmare. The Committee to Protect Journalists says at least 189 journalists have been killed in Gaza in the last 22 months. And today, the Ghazan Press Corps placing bloodstained cameras on their press vests, saying goodbye

to five more of their own. And tonight the Israeli military has only said there was a strike in the area of the Nassar hospital. They've called for an immediate investigation. Meanwhile, the AP and Reuters have already issued a joint letter demanding an explanation from Israeli authorities after their journalists were killed by the Israeli strikes. I'll send it back to you. All right, Molly Hunter, first, Molly, thank you, to help us understand more about this strike and how it fits into the larger war, still raging in Gaza.

I want to bring in former NBC News Tel Aviv Bureau Chief Martin Fletcher, a good friend of top story. Martin, thanks so much for joining us again here on the broadcast. I want to get your reaction to this strike on the hospital, at least 20 dead, including journalists and rescuers. How does this impact Israel's plan to expand their operations in Gaza? Well, it probably won't affect it at all, Tom. The Prime Minister in Yahoo is saying it's a mishap is an extraordinary statement, really, because there's so much more than that. So many journalists have been killed, so many civilians have been killed at a time when the Israeli government is saying they're trying to avoid civilian deaths as well as much as they, as much as possible.

So either there's some kind of deliberate plan, which I don't believe for a moment, or it's complete incompetence. And that's more likely to be the case. So going forward, as Israel says, it's going to expand its much. military operations on the ground, and specifically to take on Gaza City, you can expect many more civilian accidents like this. But this accusation that people would be making that the Israeli government is targeting journalists in particular, I don't believe that for a moment. So we've seen this happen before, right? The bombings of a World Central Kitchen Truck, a Catholic Church, and now a hospital with journalists and rescuers inside. The Prime Minister,

as you mentioned, often calls it a tragedy, says Israel deeply regrets it. And then there's investigation, but how can the IDF claim to be a competent military when they keep making these deadly mistakes? And Martin, you know, we do have a certain amount of technology nowadays, and I know there is the fog of war. I know it is very, very complicated. But it feels like two strikes on the hospital, you can understand why people are asking a lot of questions. Absolutely, and they should ask questions, and those questions need to be answered. One of the questions, specifically for the attack today on the hospital that killed the journalists and the and the aid workers than the other people,

is the specific question would be, why did Israel use tank shells to attack the hospital if they had a specific target? A tank shell is notoriously less accurate than, for instance, a drone. If they had a specific target in a hospital on the outside of the building, then a drone would have been much more accurate,

much more specific. And one of the sources that I've been speaking to who has been a military source in Israel who has been speaking to the Israeli press, the Hebrew press, said that the Israelis were targeting a camera on top of the building, which they thought was following, monitoring the troop movements of Israeli soldiers. And that's why they attacked the building. Now, that's not official, but I've heard that from military sources speaking to Israeli press colleagues of mine.

So tank shells, one by accident hitting the journalist, a miss-up, well, who knows? a second tank shell in exactly the same spot, minutes later, killing more people, that's what they call a two-tap attack, a two-tap. One tap is one shell, one shell, the second tap is a second shell in the same place. That's more than just a mishap. That does seem to be intentional. Yeah, I do want to ask you, you've covered a lot of the wars and the conflicts in the region, and we're talking about or trying to talk about a ceasefire.

Do you see that getting anywhere off the ground right now? Well, you know, if you listen to President Trump, a couple of weeks away, you listen to the people on the ground nowhere near it. Talks are continuing this. I think the thing to bear in mind here is quite simply. There's a simple calculation here. Hamas wants to keep the hostages. Israel will not stop the war until they get the hostages back, and that's what the ceasefire talks are all about. Hamas and the Israeli government absolutely intransigent.

Meanwhile, you have a humongous percentage of the Israeli population taking to the same thing. streets, a half a million over the weekend, calling for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the war, the return to the hostages. And we're seeing more and more videos coming out of Gaza, of Palestinians. They're also demonstrating against Hamas, calling for an end to the war, which, by the way, is very brave of them, because Hamas deals with those kinds of people very differently from the way the Israeli government deals with its protesters. So, you know, there's movement, but there's no real sense that an agreement is actually imminent by any means, especially among the families of the hostages who are becoming desperate, absolutely. Well, they are. They're absolutely

desperate. Yeah. And before we go, I do want to ask you, what do you think is behind the prime minister's sort of intentions to sort of move in on Gaza City and just sort of to take over more of Gaza, at least for right now? Well, if you listen to the Israeli government, the right-wing members of the Israeli government, who we're told of pushing Netanyahu to this extreme, then their role, their goal is to take over Gaza and to resettle it. And now, That's only a small percentage of the Israeli government, but it's a very powerful percentage of the government. At the same time, the Israeli military,

the chief of staff of the Israeli army, has said, we don't really need to do this. He said, we're ready to do it. We'll do what we're ordered to do by the Israeli government, but we don't need to do this in terms of if our goal is to weaken Hamas to the extent that we can come to a deal, get the hostages back, and end the war. So I think at this stage is clear that this continuation of the war

is Prime Minister Netanyahu's war. It's his continuation. It's not what the Israeli army wants, but they're willing to obey orders, because, of course, that's the role of an army in a democracy, to obey the government's orders. Martin Fletcher for us tonight here on Top Story, Martin, always great to see you.

We appreciate your analysis. Back here at home, just days after he was released from detention, Kilmar Abrego-Garcia is back in government custody. Abrago-Garcia spoke today for the first time publicly since the legal battle over his status erupted. Pauline has released a miracle before. surrendering to ICE. The Trump administration has threatened to deport him to Uganda, though a judge has paused that for now.

Abrago Garcia's case drew headlines after he was deported to El Salvador in March. Supporters say he was wrongly removed, but the Trump administration has accused him of being a member of MS-13, which his attorneys have denied. In Los Angeles, the police department charging multiple gang members, they say robbed nearly a hundred homes across the city, the prolific burglary ring known for using sophisticated tech to commit the crimes. Here's Liz Kreutz. Tonight, Los Angeles police busting what they describe as a prolific burglary ring responsible for 92 home break-ins across the city.

Ten suspects, all adult career criminals with prior arrest for violent and property crimes have been identified. Authorities say the suspects, ranging in age from 20 to 47, call themselves the rich Roland burglary crew, part of a South L.A. gang that uses advanced technology to target multiple high-end neighborhoods. They are sophisticated. They do things like have the ability to jam your Wi-Fi cameras, jam your Wi-Fi alarms. The arrests come amid a wider string of home break-ins from celebrities to everyday residents, like this recent heist, showing mass thieves fleeing a home with duffel bags full of ransacked items. The victim saying it happened just moments after he left his home, leading him to believe he was being watched. We've seen cases where cameras have been put in, power beds across the street from the house. According to police, during this latest round of

arrest, authorities recovered multiple firearms and ammunition, burglary devices, including window punch tools, radios, face masks, headlamps, and cans of bear mace, and loads of stolen goods from high-end jewelry to designer purses. These are not crimes of need. These are crimes of greed. We're going to track you down and we're going to put you in jail or prison. And Tom, the DA says that some of the arrested suspects who have prior records can now face life sentences if convicted. Tom. Liz Kreutz for us, Liz, we thank you for that. We're going to be back in a moment with President Trump tonight, suggesting he'll take his crime

crackdown in D.C. and send more National Guard members to other cities, including Chicago. Plus, the charges music star Lil Nas X is now facing after that chaotic overnight running with police in the streets of L.A. Plus, the hot air balloon that came down to Earth in one residential neighborhood, thanks to some helping hands on the ground. what the pilot of that balloon told us ahead. All right, we are back now with the latest on President Trump's federal takeover of D.C. National Guard soldiers roaming the nation's capital now armed.

It comes as the president says he wants to send more troops to other cities across the country. Here's Garrett Hake with the details. Tonight, National Guard soldiers deployed by President Trump to crack down on crime in Washington, D.C., are now armed. following a new Pentagon order. As the president floats the possibility of extending federal deployments to other U.S. cities, including Chicago. We may wait.

We may or may not. We may just go in and do it, which is probably what we should do. They need help badly. Chicago desperately needs help. But late today, this from Chicago's Democratic mayor, who notes the city's murder rate is down 32% from last year.

This stunting that this president is attempting to execute is not real. It doesn't help drive us towards a more safe, affordable big city. And Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker posting this video along Lake Michigan. We got a lot of people running, having a great time. Insisting the city does not need assistance from federal law enforcement. Mr. President, do not come to Chicago.

You are neither wanted here nor needed here. But so far this year, the city is still averaging over one killing a day. Just this weekend, there were three homicides. and 27 people were shot. We still have a problem. We have a problem with illegal guns. We have a high murder rate. We need help with that.

If Trump really wants to help, what he can do is give us a federal homeland security grant so we can hire more police officers. While the president is pushing back on Democratic criticism, he's behaving like a dictator. A lot of people are saying maybe we like a dictator. I don't like a dictator. I'm not a dictator.

I'm a man with great common sense and a smart person. And when I see what's happening to our cities, and then you send in troops, instead of being praised, they're saying you're trying to take over the republic. All right, Garrett Hake joins us tonight from Washington. Garrett, a lot of headlines coming out of the White House tonight when it comes to crime, including new executive orders, and one that involves cashless bail? Yeah, that's right, Tom. The president has long complained about D.C.'s cashless bail system. Today, he signed orders targeting it and similar programs in other Democratic-run cities that it was essentially forced. those cities and states to give up a cashless bail program or risk seeing federal funding cut

about 30 days to work through the system on that. And another order, he also set up a new program that the Pentagon would run to train National Guard officers to do the kind of urban policing that they are being asked to do now, perhaps in response to the criticism about how these National Guard troops are being used, but it would allow for quick reaction forces, as they're calling them, to be deployed to cities in the future, to do exactly the kind of police work that the president has deployed these soldiers for now. Tom? All right, Garrett, we thank you for that. Still to come on Top Story, getting ready for liftoff. Spaceax making its 10th attempt to test the largest and most powerful rocket ever built with hopes that it could one day lead to people

landing on Mars. Plus, it hasn't been touched in 80 years now the growing movement to carve a new face onto Mount Rushmore. President Trump's, could that happen? We find out. But first, Top Story's top moment and an update to a story. We brought you on Friday over the skies of Illinois, 174 skydivers set for the vertical formation world record breaking the decade old previous record of 164 and you have to see it to believe it. Take a look. Pretty cool there. The formation was made up of skydivers from 53 different countries, including participant Courtney Moore, who told Top Story the energy was high, the leadership was impeccable, and everyone was having fun. That is very cool.

All right, stay with us. More news on the way. Now to Money Talks and the Trump administration's crackdown on a key tariff exemption called Diminimus. The loophole has allowed goods worth less than $800 to enter the United States duty-free since 2016. But this Friday, that exemption will end. The deadline prompting several international postal services to pause shipments to the U.S. I want to bring in our good friend NBC's Brian Chung to break this all down. Brian, consumers and small businesses, they're going to feel this right away.

Yeah, absolutely. So if you have an aunt that's trying to send you a gift from the United Kingdom or if you're buying something from eBay or Etsy from Japan, this could choke things up. And that's because of this de minimis exception. It's been around for almost 10 years. Basically, anything that was under $800 coming into the United States would not be hit with those tariffs. The customs just didn't seem to find it worth it. But now with this loophole change, anything under $800 will now be tariffed at the country-specific rates that the Trump administration has set for these countries around the world.

And the problem is that these postal carriers, and let's say, for example, Japan or the UK, they said, we don't really know how to follow this. So in the interim, they're saying we're just going to deny packages that are going to the United States entirely. while they try to figure this out. So if you have a package that's coming from abroad this weekend, it's under $800, it might be choked up because these postal carriers are not taking them. And that's going to be a lot of shipments. Will there be any exemptions? Well, there is an exemption for anything that's under $100, that's a gift. So if you are sending a postcard from the United Kingdom and it has a small keychain attached to it, as long as that keychain is not over $100, it won't be tariffed. Got it. And then which postal services have paused services as a result

of this? I mean, the list of countries is growing as we're speaking, Tom. But when you think about some of these major countries, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Switzerland is on that list. Even countries like Australia, on the other side of the world, are added to this list in terms of these carriers that are saying we just can't take packages. I want to point out this is not forever. This is just temporary while they try to figure it out. Once Customs and Border Protection offers a little bit more clarity, maybe then they'll open it back up.

Look, we're both sneaker heads, right? We are. Give me like ballparks here. If you're somebody who's buying sneakers overseas, something like $200. How much should you expect more to pay? Say it's from Japan, like you said, or London. How much more should you expect to pay? Yeah, well, I mean, let's see, for example, you're buying a pair of Air Jordan ones.

That would be over that $100 threshold, but below that $800 threshold, so it would be tariffed. If it's coming from a country that's 25 percent, well, then eight, you know, a shipment like that could be, you know, tens of dollars. Got it. That's getting that pair of sneakers, which is already pretty expensive, even more expensive. But come on, Brian, let's be honest here. If we're not buying Air Jordan ones in Japan or the U.K., right, we're going to be buying tigers from Japan and maybe we'll be buying, like, trainers. We'll be making trainers in the U.K. All right.

Brian, so great to have you, man. Appreciate it. Yep. Okay, time for Top Stories News Feed. We start with an update to a story we brought you last week. Remember rapper Lil Nas X. Now he's facing possible prison time after an alleged altercation with police in L.A. last Thursday. The video here shows the Grammy Award winning artist at his hearing after spending the weekend behind bars. He faces three counts of battery with an injury on an officer and one count of resisting an officer. Video obtained by TMZ shows the 26-year-old artist walking in his underwear on Ventura Boulevard. According to police, the rapper then charged officers at the scene and was hospitalized for a possible overdose. And the first human case of flesh-eating screwworm parasite has been detected right here in the U.S.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the patient returned to Maryland from a trip to El Salvador and added that the risk to the public is very low. Countries in Central America and Mexico have been dealing with an outbreak among livestock. It has not been detected in animals in the U.S. Okay, terrifying body cam video capturing the moment of firefighter fell through the floor of a Pennsylvania home while trying to put out flames. Take a look. That is scary. You can hear his fellow volunteer firefighter ask if he was all right.

It happened earlier this month at a house in Stewardstown. The firefighter reportedly fell 13 feet and had to be rescued by other first responders. He was taken to the hospital and was released that day. And a basketball card featuring Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant selling for a record-breaking $12.9 million. The sign collectible becoming the most expensive sports card ever, surpassing a Mickey Mantle card which held the previous record and was sold back in 2022. Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary revealed he was one of three buyers to purchase the rare item. And all eyes on the SpaceX launch pad were the world's largest rocket, SpaceX's Starship, is scheduled for its 10th test flight just before 8 p.m. We're also learning there's a 70% chance.

It's a no-go. So here's a live look tonight at the launch pad where the uncrewed mission was scrubbed, I should say, last night, minutes before it was scheduled to blast off due to a technical malfunction. It looks like we have Elon Musk there talking to some of the crew and the staff there of SpaceX. The stakes are high. Muscoop Starship will be used to send the first uncrewed mission to Mars by 2026, and as soon as 2027 to bring astronauts back to the moon. watching this live with us tonight is NBC News senior correspondent Tom Costello.

He covers these things for us. Tom, so talk to us about what's happening tonight. What is your gut telling you? Oh, boy, 70% no-go right now because of weather. And you may say, boy, that looks like a beautiful shot. Yeah, that's not the shot, by the way. That's not live. But yeah, it has looked pretty nice. The trouble is they've got a particular cloud right now hanging over the launch pad area that they don't like.

And they never want to launch if there's any chance at all of lightning, for example. So at the moment, we're slated for 7.59 p.m. Eastern time. And this is, as you know, flight number 10. Now, so far this year, already, Tom, they've had three rockets either blow up in space or one of them, the fourth one, blew up actually on the pad in a static test fire. So this is critical to Elon Musk and to SpaceX because they need to get the biggest rocket ever built, this one, off the ground. It's critical not only to Space. which eventually wants to take people and cargo to the moon and then maybe to Mars, but it's also critical to NASA, because without NASA, without SpaceX, and without Starship, NASA's whole program of going back to the moon with Artemis, it won't happen, right? They need SpaceX and Starship to get them to essentially link up with them in orbit and then bring the astronauts down to the moon. So there's a lot riding on this, and every time that there is a failure, it kind of pushes the timeline.

for returning to the moon further back. But as you mentioned, in a best-case scenario, we'll have a mission looping around the moon sometime late next year. I think that's unlikely. But then going to the moon, landing on the moon, best-case scenario, 27, 28, but Tom, that's looking less likely every day that goes by. Tom, this is pretty fascinating the look we have here,

and there's so much to discuss. If I can ask our director to go back to the live shot, I want you to talk to us about the cloud that is sort of hanging over, I guess where they're going to launch right now, where SpaceX is. We kind of saw it in the sky there. We don't control the camera here. This is SpaceX that controls it so we can't go back to it.

But it was that sort of that, I guess, it was a little bit sort of the overhang of that cloud, right? Slightly cloudy, but it didn't look like it was a storm cloud. Yeah, I mean, that's the problem. You know, to those of us who are not meteorologists, we think, boy, it looks fine. But in fact, they're very concerned, and they watch this very, very closely, and they have very tight parameters on what is allowed and what's not allowed in terms of any threat at all to the vehicle. Again, they've lost four this year, right? And they're not cheap, so this is all very important.

Elon, I was listening to Elon, and he was talking about the fact that he thinks, he said this many times before, that this is a critical mission in total, right? The mission of Starship, beyond just today. Their overall mission is critical, he thinks, to the survivability of humans. on Earth. He wants to, as you know, colonize Mars. And he said, we got to start building out colonies on Mars, human colonies on Mars. And he says, it's going to take a long time. It's going to take millions and millions of tons of equipment, for example, of whatever you would need to create self-sustaining colonies on Mars. And you may think, oh, well, eventually, you know, you can set up

water plants, you can set up some sort of an oxygen creation there. Yeah, but he makes the point. It's more than that. If you're going to be self-sustaining, you need to have companies and factories on Mars that make computer chips, that make beds, right, that make everything in a house, for example, in a colony. So when you start thinking about as big and grandiose as he is, this is not something that's going to happen in the next 10 years necessarily. Yeah, and then Tom, as we watch and we stay watching tonight, 70% chance doesn't look super hopeful. They're not going to take any chances here. But hey, there's the 30% chance and you never know with Elon Musk. Now, you don't, and I think history has proven you don't bank against him or bet against him.

I mean, listen, he also faced tremendous criticism this year because when they had those three failures, what was he doing? He was running Doge, right? He was at the White House, and he was involved in that very controversial plan to go through every government agency and just start firing people with massive job cuts. And the allegation that's been really levied everywhere, including on Wall Street, is that he took the eye, his eye off the ball. And that affected the effectiveness of not only SpaceX, but also of Tesla. And so he's back, he's been back since the end of May, dedicating his time and all of his focus on both SpaceX and also Tesla. All right, Tom Costello, Tom, I know you're going to be standing by for us all night. Tom, we appreciate that. We're going to turn now to sports, tennis legend Venus Williams,

returning to the court at the U.S. Open. This will be her first Grand Slam tournament in two years. Williams is also making headlines for her age. At 45, Williams is doing something no one has been able to accomplish in singles since 1981. I want to bring in Emily Aketa, who's been following the U.S. Open for us. Now, this marks Venus' 25th appearance at a U.S. Open tournament. Now, standing in her way is Carolina Mohova, fierce competitor and two-time semifinalists at U.S. Open tournaments. It's certainly a tall task at hand. Already in the first couple of days of the U.S. Open, we're seeing some early.

on-court drama. Take a look at this video where you can see a photographer walk onto the court on a match point and Medvedev becomes enraged when the Empire awards his opponent a first-serve redo. That opponent, Benjamin Bonzi, went on to defeat the 2021 U.S. Open champion who went on to have a bit of a meltdown. Now, the U.S. Open, one of the reasons why I love it is it's the fourth Grand Slam tournament of the year, which is a real test of resilience. It's a test of endurance. And it's also raising the question, can anyone crack the duopoly that is Sinner and Alcoraz? They have been so dominant in recent months. The American men are trying to do so, and Francis Tiafo is now one step closer, really cruising through the first round, winning in three sets.

By the way, if you win at all, you win, you know, oh, just a casual, $5 million. Tom. Not bad, five million. Wow. All right, Emily, we appreciate that. Still ahead on top story, frightening moments in the skies over England, ending with cheers on the ground. We speak with the hot air balloon pilot forced to make an emergency landing in the middle of a U.K. street. Plus, the growing push to add President Trump's face to Mount Rushmore, can it really be done?

Our Ryan Noble's found out. Don't go away. And this week marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina made landfall. The storm, one of the most destructive in American history, triggered what would become a slow-motion catastrophe. More than 1,300 people killed and thousands that survived, packed into an overcrowded super dorm. or left to sleep on the street with little access to food or water. NBC's Priscilla Thompson has this look back at how it all unfolded. On August 24, 2005, at 10.30 p.m., Hurricane Katrina made its first landfall in southeast Florida as a Category 1 storm. Many Miami area residents feel they were sucker punched by Katrina.

Moving into the warm waters of the Gulf, Katrina rapidly intensified. That's perfect conditions for a hurricane to strengthen. On August 27th, as Katrina closed in on New Orleans, Mayor Ray Nagin first issued a voluntary evacuation warning. This is a once-in-probably a lifetime event. Upgrading that warning to the city's first ever mandatory evacuation order the next day. Just 19 hours before landfall. Hurricane Katrina, now a Category 5 storm, with maximum

sustained winds of 175 miles per hour. For those with nowhere to go and no way to get out, the Superdome was opened as a refuge of last resort. Roughly 15,000 people poured in. At 16 a.m. on August 29th, Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Bearest, Louisiana as a weekend Category 3, a last-minute shift sparing New Orleans from a direct hit. Still, power was knocked out almost immediately. The wind roaring. By the evening news, reports that the Big Easy seemed to have averted a doomsday scenario.

By late this evening, onlookers were back in the French Quarter. In the words of one, the fact that the damage wasn't worse was pure New Orleans' luck. But out of sight of the cameras stationed at the Superdome and in the French Quarter, a horrific tragedy already unfolding. Before, after, and during landfall, levees built to hold back storm surge failed catastrophically. Multiple breaches sending water almost 20 feet high, surging into the Lower Ninth Ward and several other neighborhoods. Later reports finding those levee failures were due largely to engineering errors. On August 30th, the severity of the disaster seen widely for the first time. Heartbreaking

Images of people climbing onto roofs to escape the rising water, rescued by firefighters and volunteers on boats, and the Coast Guard in helicopters, others wading through the dark, murky waters. The rescue operation would take days. Images of desperation, people waving for help from rooftops now burned into the American psyche, many of them poor, many of them black. rescued, brought to an already crowded Superdome. Once a refuge, now a hellscape. What was it like in the Superdome and why did you leave?

It was horrible. We couldn't sleep at night. Sanitary was nasty. The food was horrible. You understand, I'm saying? My children is a nightmare. We didn't lost properly and lost everything. But you think these people killed, the mayor don't even care. Others waited on highways and bridges to be evacuated. In the relentless sun's scorching Help, help. Thousands more sought shelter at the convention center down the road. No food, no water, no nothing. Whatever we had, we've been taking it.

This is shirt I'm making for my baby because I don't have no clothes. Eat all dirty just two months. Two bucks. I got to tell you from the bottom of my heart how sad I feel for those people. The federal government just learned about those people today. And I've got to tell you, we are moving heaven and As desperation grew, people breaking into stores, grabbing food, clean clothes and shoes. Amid reports of lawlessness, the governor mobilizing the National Guard.

I have one message for these hoodlums. These troops know how to shoot and kill, and they are more than willing to do so if necessary, and I expect they will. On September 1st, the National Guard relief mission arrived with food. On September 3rd, five days after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, buses and then planes ramped up evacuation efforts, dispersing survivors to cities all across the country. It would take weeks and months to understand Hurricane Katrina's deadly toll. More than 1,300 people killed, many of them, the elderly or the sick. In all, more than one million people were displaced from the Gulf Coast. Those who came back, finding what they had worked for, their entire lives, destroyed.

The costliest hurricane in American history. Priscilla Thompson, NBC News. And stay tuned to Top Story throughout this week. We'll have much more coverage of Katrina 20 years later, including interviews with survivors, journalists who covered the storm and its aftermath on the ground, and those still fighting for change. we come back, the college football stunner, the University of Hawaii beating Stanford as time expired with a clutch field goal, and you won't believe that place kicker's journey to that moment.

You'll hear from him and his story. That's next. And in England, a hot air balloon losing control forced to land on a sleepy street in a town just north of London. People there grabbing roads to help steer it to the ground safely. NBC's Daniel Hamamgen spoke to the balloon pilot late today about the challenging landing. In the sky above Bedford, England, this was no bird nor a plane. Georgie, is this landing in your garden? A Saturday morning stroll, no one here will ever forget. What on earth is happening there?

A hot air balloon sinking lower and lower after the pilot says the weather suddenly changed. We sort of tracked into Bedford and I had my window. which is extremely... No wind at all. It's stopped. It's a really rare occurrence. They call it be calming where you're stuck, essentially. Most balloons can only navigate up and down,

so they rely on wind to steer. The plan had been to land in a nearby park, but now Ollie Surridge and his friend on board were headed for a residential area and had to think fast. They were surrounded by roofs, parked cars, dangerous wires. Yeah, I'd be a liar if I said there wasn't a little bit of panic at some points. Out came one man working on a house right below him.

I just shouted down. Are you okay to grab this line or something along with them lines? And I've thrown my handling line out to him for him to hold on to me. The bystander did his best to hold the balloon steady as Surridge guided it down safely, others rushing to help. And just like that, touchdown, to the sound of Bedford residents cheering, no injuries, little damage and a lot of gratitude. The only damage is, unfortunately, to my balloon. So when I had to deflate so quickly, the burners are still hot,

it just melted through the balloon. So unfortunately, that will have to go to the repairers when I get time. Surridge actually lives in Bedford himself. Facebook local community group. I was watching it sort of unfold. And the comments and support have been fantastic from everybody. Now, Serge saying he wants to get back up there as soon as possible. I will possibly go in at Friends Balloon shortly, just to get back up in the air and go and have some fun again.

Daniel Hampton, NBC News, London. All right, we turn back now to this country in Mount Rushmore at the center of a new political push. Supporters of President Donald Trump want to see his face added to the vote. monument, but can it even be done? We sent NBC's Ryan Nobles to South Dakota to find out. Mount Rushmore, an American icon. Did it just blow your mind? It was a little overwhelming when you first see it. Untouched for more than 80 years, there is now an effort by some supporters of Donald Trump to add his face to the monument. I think history is going to show that he's in the same pantry. Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna has a bill in Congress that would add Trump to Mount

Rushmore. Interior Secretary Doug Bergam left open the possibility. Will we ever see President Trump's face on Mount Rushmore? What do you think? Well, they certainly have room for it. But the practical reality is much different. Dan Wank is the former superintendent at Mount Rushmore. You can't change somebody's work of art.

Over the years, people have proposed adding faces to the sculpture, from Susan B. Anthony to Ronald Reagan. Wank says the answer is always the same. It doesn't matter because it can't be done. But aside from the historic, political, and artistic reasons against changing Mount Rushmore, there's one big barrier, and it's non-negotiable. I wouldn't want to be messing with Mount Rushmore. From an engineering and geological perspective, adding any face is near impossible.

A close look shows the mountain filled with deep fractures, like this massive fracture that runs right by Washington's head. Paul Nelson, an engineer who worked on the mountain, warns any new carving could cause serious damage. But it's not something that can be messed with. Is that fair to say? No, no, yeah. I wouldn't want to start blasting or carving rock. While the mountain looks deep and wide from the front, a side view reveals a massive valley behind the sculpture, leaving very little room to carve. For perspective, Roosevelt's head is 100 feet behind the original granite. You have to remove so much rock that. Once you remove the rock to get some competent, there's just not any rock left.

For Dan Wank, the conversation is fine, as long as that's where it ends. I love controversy. He's like, bring it on. Bring it on. It doesn't matter how worthy someone is. If the rock is not there, you can't carve them. Putting an end to this age old debate, at least for now. Ryan Noble's NBC News, Mount Rushmore, South Dakota. Finally tonight, college football is back, and so are the unforgettable finishes. The University of Hawaii pulling off a stunning upset over Stanford with a field goal as time expired. The star of the show, a senior kicker originally from Japan, who used YouTube videos to teach himself to kick.

This is incredible. NBC's Dana Griffin has more on his path to victory. With three seconds left in the Stanford University of Hawaii season opener. Snap, kick is up. And good! And Hawaii has done it! Number 17, Kanzai Matsuzawa nails this 38-yard game-winning field goal. It's Kansi for the win. You're fans?

Yeah. Sending the stadium into a frenzy. Unbelievable, gritty performance. His coach jumps into his arms. The Rainbow Warriors nabbing their first win over a powerful team since 2019. Stanford thought they had it in the bag. What did that moment feel like for you? That was definitely one of the best moment in my life.

But what many didn't know, how easy is it to learn football from simply watching YouTube? It's definitely not easy, but like a kicker is a different. Matsuzawa learned how to kick just five years ago, studying YouTube videos of Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers. It's really good to imitate his form and like routines. Matsuzawa moved to Ohio to play at a community college where he turned to his. favorite online tutor to learn English before transferring to UH to play on scholarship. This place is special for us, and I'm so grateful to play for the state of Hawaii. In all, Matsuzawa made three field goals in Hawaii's 23 to 20 win over Stanford, proving

when there's a will and a lot of YouTube, there's a way. Dana Griffin, NBC News. What a great story. We thank Dana for that. We thank you for watching. That does it for top story. I'm Tom Yamis in New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.