Top Story with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Episode Date: April 4, 2024

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

Tonight, deadly spring storms on a destructive path across the country. The dangerous storm system putting tens of millions of Americans at risk as it targets the East Coast, following those deadly tornadoes that ripped across at least six states. One man caught in the crosshairs of a twister while driving with his children. The storms tearing apart homes and businesses and knocking out power. A nor-easter now closing in, threatening the region with floods, destructive winds, and feet of snow in April. Also tonight, deadly quake.

Taiwan hit by its strongest earthquake in 25 years. Buildings collapsing, homes and businesses shaking as people run for their lives, search and rescue teams racing against the clock to pull people from the rubble. Pressuring to step down? Some progressives arguing Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor should retire.

Their concerns over history repeating itself, swaying the court further. right. Others saying there's no need to hang up the robe just yet. We'll explain it all. Safari nightmare horrifying video capturing a deadly elephant attack as it happens, the animal chasing down an off-road vehicle and flipping it over what we know about this terrifying incident. Costco's Ozempic play, the popular wholesaler known for its bulk size snacks and cheap gas, launching its own weight loss program to expand access to the popular drug. So, How exactly does it work and is it any cheaper?

Camping with Elon, Tesla facing backlash over its $3,000 tent designed for the back of its cyber truck. Consumers outraged over what's showing up on their doorstep, saying it's far from what was advertised. We hear from some happy and unhappy campers. And she got gained. Iowa's victory over LSU becoming the most watched women's college basketball game on record. The unprecedented season, making history in more ways than one as women's basketball soars to new heights. Top story starts right now. And good evening.

Tonight a powerful and deadly storm system charging across the U.S. A Northeastern now eyeing the I-95 corridor packing intense winds, torrential rains, and even snow. It comes after tornadoes touchdown in at least seven. six states. You see one of them right here. The storms turning deadly in Kentucky. The governor declaring a state of emergency as twisters like this one tear across the state. This relentless system leaving a path of devastation in its wake, roofs ripped off, homes and businesses left in ruins. In Indiana, startling dash camp footage as a man with his kids in the car is caught right in the middle of a tornado. Look at that. And in Georgia, storms knocking down

trees crushing houses and sending power lines tumbling. Right now, these are the states with the highest power outages. The number you see here expected to climb with 60 million Americans under some sort of wind alert tonight. The system pushing into areas like New York City, Philly, and Boston. Parts of New England could see more than a foot of snow again. It's April. Meteorologist Michelle Grossman standing by to time it all out. First we start with Maggie Vesp on the ground in Hardhead, Kentucky. Tonight, a lethal system races east. Up to four inches of rain slamming some communities.

Not happy about the weather here, but it is what it is. Flood Watch is in effect for millions from West Virginia to New York, storms wreaking havoc for travelers. I'm really hoping it doesn't get delayed, but who knows? The time kept shifting from, you know, an hour and a half to an hour. Thousands of flights delayed nationwide. This morning, a Southwest Airlines flight between New Orleans and Orange, Orlando making an emergency landing amid severe turbulence, sending two people to a medical facility.

The monster system carving a path of destruction from the Ohio Valley. Oh, dear God, this is bad. To the southeast, flipped semi-trucks, snapped trees, and toppled power lines. At least 16 reported tornadoes across six states. Near Louisville, Kentucky, Mom, Lisa Zerodnichek says she barely got her kids downstairs before violent winds ripped the roof off their second-story bedrooms. We were just running down the basement, and that's when we heard the pop and the roof came flying off. We weren't even in the basement yet before that happened. You didn't even make it down. No, not right. No, it's just crazy.

It's still an early part of the year to have all this tragic storms. Kentucky's governor this afternoon touring damage, saying as many as seven tornadoes tore through his state Tuesday, some turning deadly. We have confirmed one weather-related fatality. This came in Campbell County in a car accident. 19-year-old Brady Delaney remembered by family, saying he was loved by so many. We'll be praying for him and for his family. Outside Atlanta, several people were injured in storm-ravaged neighborhoods. While in Michigan, some residents saw up to 14 inches of snow.

A week of wild weather dragging on for tens of millions more tonight. Maggie Vespa joins us tonight from hard-hit Newcastle, Kentucky. Maggie, talk to us about the destruction and devastation you're seeing there behind you. Yeah, Tom, exactly. I mean, this deserves to be talked about, right? This is or was, and sort of a garage for the house kind of on the other side of it. You can see it's completely destroyed. If you look inside, you can barely see the pickup truck that's now trapped inside that building.

I mean, it was just decimated. What's even more insane, though, is that the house on the other side of this, where the man who owns all of this was kind of hunkering. down. It's completely untouched. And he told us he thinks that's because he prayed as the tornado came through. So he says he's one of the lucky ones, especially knowing how deadly and dangerous this was. The other big issue in this area, Tom, he talked about it at the top. Power outages, more than 12,000 people here in Kentucky alone without power. That number nationwide, close to 350,000 people. Tom. Maggie Vespa, Northern Kentucky for us tonight. Maggie, we thank you for that.

News meteorologist Michelle Grossman joins us now live in studio. Michelle, we know there's still a lot going on with these systems. Walk our viewers through what we can expect tonight. Hi there, Tom. Yes, still a lot. We're going to see a lot going on over the next couple of days. We've been tracking this for days and we're going to continue to track this through Friday. Here's the good news. We'll start with that. We had our last tornado watch just drop off about two minutes ago because that cold front is moving through. So it's kind of turning off that switch for the threat of severe weather. That doesn't mean we're going to see more isolated severe storms. We have some lightning right here in portions of Virginia up through. New England as well. So we had the chance of seeing some isolated storms, but in terms of any tornadoes, that condition is getting better. You see some snow on the back side of this, lots of cold air. We have two systems kind of coming together to create a powerhouse, and that's where we're going to see the impacts and portions of New England and also the interior parts of the northeast. So as we go throughout tonight, we still have 10 million people at risk for winds gusts up to 60 miles per hour. Could see some hail. A few tornadoes are possible, but that is starting

to turn off over the next couple of hours. I think by 9 o'clock, we're going to be in the clear for most of us. Heavy rain is falling over very soggy grounds. We're talking 39 million people under flood watches, flash flood warnings. Where you see these maroon colors, that is a flash flood warning. That means flooding is happening now and it's imminent or it's imminent. And that's really dangerous. Flooding causes a lot of deaths when it comes to weather, so you want to heat any warnings in your area. And this is why, because we're looking at a ton of rain over the next several hours again on very saturated grounds. We're looking up to three to four inches of rain. And, Dom, we're looking up to two feet of snow in northern New England by Friday. Back to you.

Okay, Michelle, thanks for that. We now want to move on to our other major headline tonight. The urgent search for survivors after that massive earthquake struck Taiwan. It is the strongest earthquake to strike the country in 25 years. Several people have been killed and more than 1,000 people are hurt. Tonight, about 140 are still feared trapped in that debris. NBC's Janice Mackie Freyer is in the region tonight. Rescuers racing to reach those trapped after a massive earthquake in Taiwan, pulling people out of buildings, even out of vehicles, with authorities now focusing on getting to those still stuck under the rubble.

With reports tonight, 71 workers are trapped in two mines. The earthquake struck during the morning rush hour, causing buildings to shake and sway. This woman saying it felt like her house would collapse. The magnitude 7.4 quake, jolting the island. Rooftop swimming pools churned, water pouring down this building. Video filmed inside a moving train showing huge landslides, items toppling off store shelves. The televisions in this newsroom started to shake. The most powerful earthquake to hit Taiwan in a quarter century. More than a thousand people are injured. Taiwan's president-elect saying the top priority is to rescue

people and get them treatment. The hardest hit area around Hualien, just 11 miles from the epicenter. That's where American Annie Lima was when it hit. Around 8 o'clock this morning and the whole world start shaking. What was it like? It was pretty scary. In all the years that I've lived here and in Southern California before that, I felt a lot of earthquakes, but this was by far the strongest and the most frightening. And it just went on and on. I think it was close to two minutes and as soon as the shaking stopped we ran to get out of the apartment dozens of people are still trapped along roads tunnels and hiking trails cut off by landslides in Hualien some buildings now leaning precariously and crews already working to demolish them Taiwan is accustomed to having

earthquakes and they had cell phone alerts that went out and that it happened during the day when people were awake seemed to help tonight the focus search and rest The challenge, there have been more than 200 aftershocks so far, and rain is now in the forecast, which could complicate efforts. Tom? 200 aftershocks. All right, Janice McAfee, for air for us. We want to stay overseas and the latest on the growing outrage over those deadly Israeli airstrikes on a convoy of aid workers in Gaza. World Central Kitchen founder, Chef Jose Andres, speaking publicly for the first time since those seven workers were killed.

Israel calling the strike a grave mistake, but there are mounting questions on how. this happened. NBC's Ralph Sanchez has the details. Tonight, the bodies of the foreign aid workers carried out of Gaza after those Israeli air strikes on vehicles marked with large World Central Kitchen logos. Some of the people that died were my friend, and I served with them. The founder of the aid group, Chef Jose Andres, appearing on Israeli television and demanding answers. They were targeted systematically car by car. So this was not used a bad lack situation where, oops, we dropped the bomb in the wrong place or, no, this was over 1.5, 1.8 kilometers with a very defined humanitarian convoy.

Overnight, Israel's top general announcing the findings of its preliminary investigation, calling the strikes a grave mistake. It was a mistake that followed a misidentification at night during a war in a very complex conditions. It shouldn't have happened. All seven World Central Kitchen staff who were killed have been identified, among them 33-year-old Jacob Flickinger, a dual American-Canadian citizen, his family sharing these photos of him with his partner and young sons. President Biden saying he's outraged and heartbroken by the day.

and that Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers. But the White House also saying it won't stop supplying arms to Israel, which it says faces a genocidal threat from Hamas. Just last week, the Biden administration signing off on sending Israel more than 1,800 bombs and is pressing Congress to approve a plan to sell Israel more F-15 fighter jets in the future. Meanwhile, World Central Kitchen has paused its aid operations in Gaza, three of its ships returning to port today with vital food undelivered.

Another blow to the humanitarian effort just when it's needed most. Raf Sanchez joins us tonight from Tel Aviv. Raf, I want to play a piece of tape from our show last night. We spoke with Josh Phelps. He's a former World Central Kitchen employee and a close friend to one of the aid workers who was killed in the strike. Here's what he had to say.

As we all grieved and we're grieving, I think we need to hopefully the organization takes a step back to review. you know, you know, what they're doing with these people who just want to make the world and the organization proud and serve people. Josh, you know, I noticed you mentioned that in your first answer, and now you've said it again, so I think it's fair to ask you about this. Are you essentially saying you might be upset that Zami and the other aid workers for World Central Kitchen

were allowed to operate in Gaza, which was incredibly dangerous? Of course. If they have 70 kitchens set up, why did they need members of the court team there? So, Raff, has World Central Kitchen addressed this yet? And I know it's still very early in this process. But at least some former employees are asking that question. We know the need was so grave and so major in Gaza. But at the same time, so was the danger.

Yeah, Tom, it is a really, really important question. It is not something that World Central Kitchen has addressed right now. understandably, getting the bodies of their colleagues out of Gaza, getting them home. And, of course, a lot of the focus worldwide right now is on the Israeli military. How is it that the Israelis opened fire on this convoy when World Central Kitchen had coordinated their movements ahead of time? But I do think when the dust settles, there will be important questions for this aid organization to ask itself about, was there anything that could have been done differently?

one question just from the top of mind. Was there an alternative to moving around at night during in the middle of a war zone? We are seeing the United Nations today saying it is suspending nighttime activity for the next 48 hours while it tries to work out its security protocols. So that is one question. But we should say, Tom, it does appear. World Central Kitchen did just about everything they possibly could to sign. to the Israelis that this was a humanitarian convoy, and it was not a threat. And then, Raf, I know you have an update. We understand the president is expected to speak with Prime Minister Netanyahu sometime tomorrow. What more do we know about what they want to address in that conversation? Yeah, Tom, that's right. And Israeli official says we are expecting that call to happen tomorrow. It will be the first conversation between the leaders since March 18th.

And a lot has happened since then, not just the killing of the World Central Kitchen Aid workers, but also the U.S. allowing that U.N. Security Council resolution to pass, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza that infuriated the Israelis. They very publicly canceled a delegation of senior officials who were heading to the White House. That was supposed to be a conversation about Israeli plans to attack Rafa. So there is going to be a whole lot on the agenda during this critical call. Tom. Raph Sanchez from Tel Aviv once again tonight. Raf, thank you. Now to the race for the White House, new polling from a series of battleground states showing President Biden trailing former President Trump in several states that were key to his 2020 win.

Garrett Haake, quenches the numbers tonight. Wow, what a nice crowd this is. Former President Trump barnstorming the Midwest this week, hoping to flip a critical region for his campaign. November 5th, we are going to win this state. We're going to win the White House, and we are going to save our country. We're going to save our country. Mr. Trump polling events Tuesday in Wisconsin and Michigan. Two states he won in 2016, but lost to Joe Biden four years later. The former president now looking for cracks in Democrats' so-called Blue Wall ahead of their November rematch.

And tonight, new polling shows he may have found some. A new Wall Street Journal survey shows Mr. Trump leading in six battleground states, including several Midwestern prizes. Biden is still within the margin of error in all of them. But it's a major reversal from 2020 when Mr. Biden won all but one of these states. The pair in a dead heat in Wisconsin, where the presumptive GOP nominee taunted Mr. Biden from a rally stage in Green Bay. We have an empty podium right here to my right. You know what that is? That's for Joe Biden. I'm trying to get him to debate. The easiest path to President Biden getting 270 electoral votes and winning re-election is repeating his victories in places like Michigan, Pennsylvania. and Wisconsin. In Battleground, Michigan, he has been trailing in poll after poll. And to change the

trajectory of this race, he has to actually start overtaking Donald Trump. Donald Trump doesn't trust women. I do. The Biden campaign fighting back this week, releasing a new ad hitting Trump on abortion. After the Florida Supreme Court, Greenlit a six-week abortion ban, spotlighting the issue. The president also highlighting his financial advantage over his challenger in the wake of his star-studded fundraiser in New York City last week, flanked by former presidents Obama and Clinton. But questions remain about whether the Biden campaign can translate donor dollars into votes. By being the incumbent, President Biden and his campaign have the definite money advantage, and they're going to be spending campaign ad after campaign

ad. But Donald Trump ended up proving in 2016 that sometimes you don't need the money advantage to be able to win a presidential contest. The Wall Street Journal poll also also underscoring concerns about Mr. Biden's fitness for the presidency. Nearly half of battleground state voters think Mr. Trump is more physically and mentally fit. Just 28% say it's Mr. Biden. The president facing another round of alarms from the battlegrounds as the culmination of his final campaign inches closer. And Tom, in what could be more bad news for the Biden campaign, the governor of Nebraska backed by President Trump is now looking into possibly changing the rules for Nebraska's one electoral vote. Instead of the state splitting its vote, they would be winner-take-all like most other states.

This sounds esoteric, but it does create a possible scenario in which all of those votes would go to former President Trump in November. And look at this. There is a scenario of former President Trump wins back some of the states that are available to him and takes that Nebraska electoral vote that would have otherwise gone to President Biden. We could end up in a 269-269 electoral vote tie, sending the entire. result of the presidential election to the House. Tom, it would be an extraordinary about face based on one change, however unlikely, that could come from the state of Nebraska. Tom? Still shaping up to be a wild election. All right, Garrett, we appreciate all that. We want to

stick with politics now. We turn out of the Supreme Court and the debate around liberal justice Sonia Sotomayor. Top Democrats wane in on calls for the 69-year-old to retire before the next presidential election. The push among legal advocates and attempt to prevent the court from swinging even further to the right. NBC's Ryan Nobles explains. The direction of the Supreme Court has had liberals worried for years, and tonight some Democrats focusing that angst on Justice Sonia Sotomayor. The current 6 to 3 conservative majority led to the overturning of Roe versus Wade. This decision must not stand. A landmark Supreme Court decision that had protected abortion rights for decades.

That decision has opened the door to concerns around a whole host of issues the court could weigh in on, from gun control to freedom of speech to consumer protections. Rarely have there been a couple of years where so much constitutional law changed so quickly, all in a conservative direction. The swing in the balance of high court power is directly related to the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who chose not to retire at the tail end of President Barack Obama's term, despite being in her 80s and suffering. from cancer. At the time, Democrats were convinced Hillary Clinton would be the next president, but instead, Donald Trump pulled off the upset. Breaking news, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died. Justice Ginsburg passed away in 2020, and Trump appointed conservative Amy Coney-Barritt to replace her. Roe v. Wade was overturned just 20 months later. Certainly, I think If Justice Ginsburg had it to do over again, she might have rethought her confidence in her own health.

Liberal legal activists have set their sights on Justice Sotomayor, was a healthy 69 and shows no signs of retiring. Some calling out this appearance, or Sotomayor said she was tired. I'm working harder than I ever have. And to be almost 70 years old, this isn't what I expected. You see Berkeley Law School Dean Irwin Chermurinsky, who moderated that discussion, says those criticisms are unfounded. She's only 69 years old. Also, this being an election year makes it quite unlikely that the Democrats would be able to fill her seat and having it open for President Trump would, I think, be quite disadvantageous from a progressive perspective. Judge Sotomayor, are you prepared to take the oath? I am.

But she is the oldest liberal. on the court and a lifelong diabetic. And some are worried the stakes are too high. Justices have to make their personal decisions about their health and their level of energy, but also to keep in mind the larger national and public interest in making sure that the court looks and things like America. White House won't engage on the topic. That is a decision for that justice to make. Again, it's a personal decision. Polls show the race between President Biden and former President Trump within the margin of error.

A Trump win, coupled with the possibility of Republicans taking back the Senate, would lead to a period where a health setback for Sotomayor could lead to a 7-2 conservative majority. A risk, some argue they should not take. And it's not like there's any mystery here about what the lesson should be. The old saying, you know, graveyards are full of indispensable people, ourselves, in this body included. And with that, Ryan Nobles joins us tonight from Washington. So, Ryan, why are articles and conversations like this popping up right now? Justice Sotomayor is hardly the oldest on the Supreme Court, right? Clarence Thomas is 75, Samuel Alito, 74.

and John Roberts is also 69. So why the focus on Sotomayor? Well, I think the list that you gave versus Sotomayor tells us a lot about the difference between those two groups. It's not necessarily about their age. It's about their ideology. And while liberal advocates, the ones that are pushing for Sotomayor to consider retirement, would probably love to see those three individuals step down as well, there's no chance

that they're going to bow to a pressure campaign. So Sotomayor is the one that has them the most concerned. because she is the oldest member of the liberal wing of this Supreme Court, and that is the portion of the Supreme Court that they're most worried about being in danger should President Biden lose the election. And then, Ryan, if Justice Sotomayor were to step down, and again, we have no reason to believe she would, but when would, could we expect to have a new justice appointed? Could that even happen? Is there enough time to get it done? Yeah, there's certainly enough time to get it done, Tom. In fact, we saw during the replacement. for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the record amount of time that the Republicans were able to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to her position on the court. So it's really up to both the Senate and the White House to make that process move quickly. The fact that Democrats still have control of the

Senate should allow that process to move forward quickly if it comes to that, which is also part of the urgency for these liberal advocates. They're not only concerned about the White House, they're concerned about control of the Senate as well. Hill for us. Ryan, thank you. Still ahead tonight, off the job. An Orlando City Commissioner charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a 96-year-old constituent and then using it for plastic surgery and home renovations. The move today by Governor Ron DeSantis. Plus, an NBC News investigation into the seafood industry. What audio and video recordings taken inside a shrimp processing plant in India allegedly revealed. And what one former employee

warns could be inside some of the shrimp that you buy from your favorite grocery stores. And OZempic at Costco, we're breaking down the retailer's new $179 program that could help get members' prescriptions for popular weight loss drugs. Stay with us. All right, we're back now with Money Talks. And the move by Costco to enter the weight loss drug trend. That's right, the wholesale retailer that makes you think of bulk-sized snacks, those giant croissants and free food samples, will now offer prescriptions for GLP1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wagovi. Prescriptions will be available under a new program with Costco's healthcare marketplace partner, Sesame. It starts at $179 for a three-month subscription.

So for more information on the program, and to answer our questions about it, we're joined by Michael Boda, the co-founder and president of Sesame. much for joining Top Story tonight. So, you know, when people see this story, they see the headlines, they're going to see 179. What exactly is included in that price tag? Sure. The 179 component here is really the clinical component. So it's the time that you're spending engaging with a clinician. So the doctor that's going to be seeing you that will be deciding if you're a good candidate for a particular medication, prescribing that medication, managing you on it. So it's both for the live visits with that clinician, as well as

for sort of ongoing communication with them. So messaging that you can do with that clinician 24-7 whenever it's necessary. So to be clear, you don't get the medicine. You don't get OZMPIC for 179 a month. I wish. Yeah. At this point, that is still quite a pricey medication. And there are other medications that are more affordable in the space.

And I think when an individual patient talks to their doctor, they can make a decision between if the drug is covered or not, what's the right option for them? And do they need a drug in the first place? So for some people, the drug might be covered in a GLP1 category, and then it's a co-pay, but for others, they might decide to choose a more affordable medication that's available. Explain to our viewers, why is Costco in your company, Sesame, getting into prescribing weight loss drugs? Sure. I think one of the things that was interesting to us is we launched a partnership with Costco for members where they could get access to affordable health care across the spectrum of primary care, mental health care, lab services, you name it.

And what we found early on was that the most popular single category that was being searched for was weight loss. So not a huge surprise given we know across the United States, there are lots of people who struggle with their weight, who are dealing with obesity or being overweight and having meaningful numbers of comorbidities. So it's just a hot topic area in the United States right now and an opportunity to help a lot of people, given some of the treatments that are available. You know, of course, when people think of Costco, they think of buying food in bulk and food samples at each aisle. isn't there something ironic about now offering a weight loss drug that makes people less hungry at Costco? Sure. Well, I won't speak for Costco. I think those guys run a fantastic business. But what I can say is that they certainly seem very interested in helping their members find great affordable options across a wide range of categories. This is one of those categories. And they're interested in the weight loss category. And I think whether that's via diet and exercise, you know, new forms of physical activity or whether it's assisted by a medication, like we're excited to work with them with that and to have the clinicians on Sesame. meet their members where they are and help them get to a more healthy and effective weight. And then, Michael, who can actually benefit from this service?

You're obviously, you have to be a Costco subscriber, but can you do this purely for weight loss? And is there sort of a range of how much weight you have to be or how heavy you have to be or your BMI or anything like that? Well, sure. I would think about it this way. Anybody who's interested in weight loss can see a clinician on Sesame who's trained in the field. But if you're interested in taking one of the newer GLP1 medications, you're right. That's a more limited subset of patients that are eligible. It's people who are clinically obese or are clinically overweight with a meaningful number of risk factors, things like hypertension, for example.

So if you're just looking to lose, you know, 10 pounds after having a child, it's probably not the right path for you to take. I wouldn't expect a GLP1 to be an appropriate prescription. But if you've been struggling to lose 30 or 40 or 50 pounds for quite a while, and you're starting to experience the health effects from carrying excess weight, well, then some of these medications could be a viable option for you. They could be quite helpful. Michael Boda from Sesame, Michael, we appreciate that.

When we come back to Safari Nightmare, video showing an elephant charging at a safari vehicle and flipping it over, an 80-year-old American killed why the tour company says they could not get away in time. All right, we are back now with Top Stories News Feed, and we start with the hostage rescue operation out of Houston. FBI SWAT teams raiding a home early this morning. Police say they arrested four people and rescued, quote, potential victims, but did not specify how many or provide further details. Local police telling our Houston affiliate, they were called to assist with a smuggling case.

So far, no word on any charges. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is suspending Orlando City Commissioner, one of their city commissioners, after her arrest for fraud. Regina Hill was indicted on several felony charges earlier this week. She's accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a 96-year-old woman who was living in her district. Then using that stolen money on plastic surgery, hotel rooms, and home renovations. She's also facing a civil lawsuit. Hill has denied all of those allegations. Also in Florida, a man arrested for climbing a 150-foot-tall cell tower in Miami and damaging it.

New video shows the man scaling the structure with no safety. year before dismantling parts of it, officials say he caused up to $500,000 worth of damage. The man reportedly impersonating a team mobile worker to gain access and even shutting off the power at one point. After four hours of negotiations, the man came down and was arrested. It's unclear why he did this. Now to power and politics where NBC's Jose Diaz-Balart takes a closer look at what matters most to people in the critical state of Florida ahead of the 2024 election, sitting down with a group of voters in Miami-Dade County to discuss.

their thoughts on the presidential race. Good evening, Tom. You know, the Biden campaign now says that they believe Florida is winnable for them come November. One of the critical counties is Miami-Dade County. I got the opportunity recently to meet with a group of voters. We met at the historic ball and chain lounge restaurant in Little Havana, Little Havana, an area that Tom, you and I know so well. They told us what are the main issues that they see in determining how they will vote come November.

Here's part of our conversation. South Florida represents so much to so many. It is in many ways a representation of the melting pot of America. We spoke with four South Florida voters with many different strong opinions, but united in civility. Sandra Dennis, a lifelong Democrat, helps workers and tenants in Miami. Her parents are immigrants from Haiti. I'm a Democrat through and through. Isabella Rodriguez, the daughter of Cuban exiles, used to be a Democrat.

She switched to the Republican Party in 2020 and now supports Donald Trump. I like to say that I didn't leave the Democrat Party. I feel like the Democrat Party left me. Alfonso Tretto is a public school teacher who used to be a Republican and then switched to Democrat. His parents immigrated from Mexico. I am a centralist, but I am more Democrat. And Kelly Thomas comes from a military. family. She was registered as a Democrat, but then switched to no party affiliation.

And I have some progressive values. I have some conservative values. They all feel the economy is among their two top issues that inform how they will vote in November. Me personally, I having to move back in with my parents, instead of moving forward and being an independent adult. I would like to see the candidates and whoever gets in the office in November to at least address affordability in housing, because I'm not really seeing that right now. And when it comes to immigration, these voters disagree over border policies. And they also have different views about the nearly 8 million migrants who have come to the U.S. since 2021. The housing crisis is not a result of the 8 million folks.

Everywhere we look in Miami, there's developments going up. They're building for everyone else except for working class people. And so the question for me when it relies on immigration is that let's not blame immigrants for the issues that we have not dealt with with our people. We need to not use immigration as just a platform point to enrage voters or point fingers at the other party. I think immigrants need to be treated with compassion. I see immigration as opportunity in most cases, but I understand that, you know, you can't allow everybody in because there's a process.

Everybody says there's terms that I really don't like get in line, you know, because there's been people that are waiting, but for those people, there isn't really a line sometimes. I have different views when it comes to the border. I think that the southern border needs to be closed. I think that it's unsafe for our country. I'd love to believe the idea that everybody that's crossing the southern border is doing so in search of the American dream. But that's just not true. And I think that there should be some kind of pathway to help people truly attain the American dream water here.

With just seven months until the November election, I wanted to know what they would tell both President Biden and former President Donald Trump. I would tell Biden and Trump the same thing, which is that Americans need to come first. And, you know, of course, as a Trump supporter, I feel like Trump already does that. And I do think that he needs to talk about other issues. And maybe, you know, one way that we haven't touched on is student loans. I think that that's a huge issue and something that Republicans never talk about. And I'd love to see Donald Trump talking about student loans and the housing crisis. I would not talk to former President Trump.

That's a non-starter for me. To Biden, you could lose this election. I think you need to listen to your constituents. housing, student loans, your foreign policies, you need to get aligned with what is happening, what Americans are saying, and he needs to rise to the occasion. One thing that I would tell Trump is don't demonize people who are here, you know, especially immigrants fighting. I mean, you know, I'm not too happy with everything that's been going on, but he is right in the ship as best as he can.

I would sell both the candidates to be real, to be transparent, to make me want to vote for you and not against the other. guy. Tom, Miami-Dade County is, again, you know better than anyone else, is an overwhelmingly Latino district, 69 percent of the residents there identify as Latino or Hispanic. It has been a traditional democratic stronghold, but over the last couple of years, we have seen that strength diminish. Republicans have been making inroads in Miami-Dadee County. Let's see how things go come November. Tom, back to you. Okay, we thank our good friend, Jose Dias Ballard for that, and we turn out a global watch, a check of what else is happening

around the world. We started Africa and a deadly elephant attack that was captured on video. This new video shared on social media appears to show the moment the elephant charges at a safari vehicle in Zambia. The animal then uses its tusks to flip that car over. An 80-year-old American woman was inside, she was killed, and another tourist was hurt. In a statement to NBC news, the tour company says the vehicle was carrying six people and was unable to escape the attack in time because it was blocked by vegetation and terrain. Former Soccer Federation President Luis Ruyalis was arrested as part of a corruption investigation. Ruhrielles detained at the Madrid airport today. You see it right here as he returned home from the Dominican Republic.

Spanish officials are investigating his 40 million euro dollar euro business deal that moved the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia in 2020. The arrest coming during a separate trial he's facing, you may remember, for kissing a player on the women's national team, allegedly without her consent at the Women's World Cup last summer. And in Ukraine, lowering the age of military conscription, Ukraine's President Zelenskyy signing a bill into law that reduces the minimum draft eligibility age from 27 to 25. Officials believe this could add 50,000 troops to Ukraine's military, which has recently suffered hefty losses in the war against Russia. Zelensky telling reporters Russia will add 300,000 soldiers by June.

Okay, now to an NBC News investigation in collaboration with the non-profit journalism organization known as Outlaw Ocean Project. It's into the state of our seafood, a series of new reports raising questions about the true costs of the farm shrimp industry. NBC senior consumer investigative correspondent Vicky Wynne reports. Some people, if they want to go home right now, if we are not involved, they were something crazy. Now we'd be fencing with something so that no one can go out. You're listening to an audio recording from inside an Indian shrimp processing plant that supplies U.S. grocers like Walmart, Aldi, and ShopRite. An employee apparently discussing how migrant workers are prevented from leaving without permission. Our supervisor, contractor, but this is definitely. You stay for one month. Next month, people send them. But after one month, they will stay. They didn't forget that they want to go home.

This recording and a trove of other videos, company emails and documents are the subject to. of a new federal whistleblower complaint reviewed by NBC News into food safety and labor concerns at a prominent shrimp importer. On average, Americans eat a whopping six pounds of shrimp a year. About 90% of that shrimp comes from overseas, and India is our biggest supplier. The Indian shrimp industry has grown so significantly in the past decade, and yet no one was really looking at what was going on behind the scenes. Ali Bredney co-wrote a new report from the nonprofit corporate accountability lab alleging labor violations are widespread across India's farmed shrimp industry and that sustainability certifications don't mean much. We found that companies are exploiting a pretty vulnerable migrant population and that these workers are engaged in really hazardous work all the time.

All of the basic labor laws that you expect are in existence and yet there's just very little oversight. And when it comes to the shrimp you eat, experts say antibiotic use is not uncommon in Indian shrimp farming. The drugs are sometimes used to fight disease, but that can lead to antibiotic-resistant infections, and the practice is largely banned by the FDA. Only 1% of America's shrimp imports were inspected last year, and most of the shipments that were turned away because of antibiotics were from India. Compare that to Europe, where they inspect 50% of Indian shrimp imports. You would think this is a safe product. I should be eating this. And it's not the case at all. Josh Farinella says he saw labor and food safety abuses firsthand.

He got a high-paying job with a company called Choice Canning last fall as general manager of one of their shrimp processing plants in India. For Faranella, who had spent the last eight years in the seafood industry, it should have been a dream job. But after just a few months, he filed a whistleblower complaint to U.S. regulators. You walked away from making $300,000 a year. Why? Because this story needs to be told. Farinellas says his records are proof that the company was underpaying some of its workers, using unregulated off-site peeling sheds to keep up with demand and selling shrimp tainted with antibiotics banned by the FDA.

Last month, federal lawmakers requested evidence in response to Farinella's complaint. So there's a nice factory that is inspected and that regulators say, But the reality you're saying is there are these off-site hidden sheds. What are the conditions at these sheds? They're open-air sheds. The workers that are in there don't have any of the standard protective equipment that a production worker in a real factory would be wearing. These workers are in their street clothes.

In one text message, Farinella asks an executive what to do about a batch of shrimp for a U.S. supermarket that allegedly tested positive for antibiotics. The executive response, ship it. asked a senior member of management, why are we getting antibiotic shrimp if we're only purchasing these products from certified farms? And the reply was, we don't use any of those farms. We only buy from unregistered farms. Do you think these companies are taking advantage of the fact that regulators in the U.S. aren't testing as much as Europe? Unquestionably. Baranella's records also appear to show workers resting in overcrowded rooms, some working with

little time off. People are sleeping on floors. Mattresses are dirty, they're torn, bedbugs were an issue. From the food safety issues to the labor conditions, you believe management at the highest levels of choice canning is well aware of what's happening. Yes. Choice canning declined our request for an on-camera interview, but categorically denied wrongdoing, saying in part that it has never shipped antibiotic positive shrimp to U.S. customers. It has maintained a spotless record with regulators, that it would never underpay its employees who are free to come and go as they please, and they are treated with dignity and respect, and that Farinella lacks credibility because of his criminal record. Farinella had a series of DUI and felony theft convictions in his

20s and 30s, including for burglary, writing bad checks and identity theft, but said he turned his life around a decade ago and is taking significant risk by speaking out now. I'm unemployed with a wife, two kids, two dogs, and plenty of bills. Even if I'm lucky enough to not be blackballed from the seafood industry, I'm still looking at a annual paycheck that's far less than half of what I was making. What is it that you hope will happen as a result of your complaint? Change, both for the conditions that people have to work in overseas and awareness for the consumer to know that what they're eating is safe.

Rudney says when it comes to shrimp farmed overseas, ultimately, that's up to U.S. grocers. They all have these codes of conduct that talk about not having forced labor, insuring payment, a minimum wage abiding by labor laws, then they need to make sure that those are actually being followed. We reached out to the U.S. supermarkets that Choice Canning sells to Walmart and Aldi told us They are investigating Farinella's claims, and they expect their suppliers to adhere to FDA standards and to treat workers fairly. Wakefern Food Corporation, they own shop right. They referred us to Choice Canning's response.

Now, Faranella's lawyer says they have sent all relevant evidence to the ranking Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee who requested them. So that investigation is underway, Tom. So, Vicki, what can consumers do, right? People love to order shrimp at restaurants buying the grocery store. What should they look out for to make sure they're not buying from companies that don't uphold human rights? or at least the safety standards when it comes to seafood? It is a little tricky, Tom, because it's difficult. The U.S. doesn't make it simple with grocery stores with transparency around where these products

come from beyond the country of origin. So you can look for that. But experts say in general, the shorter the supply chain, the better the food is for you. So try to buy from your local fishmonger, locally farmed or locally caught seafood. That really helps you to have a little bit more control and transparency about the products you're eating. All right, Vicki went for us. Vicki, thank you for that. Coming up, Tesla's $3,000 cybertruck tent facing some backlash.

Users online pointing out it looks nothing like the original marketing photos. We speak to one man who recently bought the product, his review, and the response to those who say Elon Musk has clearly never been camping. Stay with us. We're back now with the growing criticism aimed at Tesla's latest product. The company recently releasing a $3,000 camping tent for its newest vehicle, the cyber truck. Social media critics pointing to huge design changes from when it was first announced. Some now questioning if it's worth the price. Stephen Romo has a story. And finally,

the future will look like the future. It was the truck that promised to propel the industry into the future. And just four months after its release, Tesla's cyber truck is turning heads again. Big a trash fire as the cyber truck itself. This time, because of an accessory, the cyber truck base tent. An attachable unit designed to turn the truck into a comfortable sleeper. Three grand. But for a nearly $3,000 price tag, critics are saying there's a gap between the original hype and what the consumer is actually getting. Really, really rough. Early 2019 marketing materials showed a sleek geometric frame with the prospect of kitchen attachments separate from the tent. But when sales started earlier this year, the images on Tesla's website had a few

design changes. I still think it's a huge missed opportunity. It's kind of a misstep for Tesla, just given over the years, they've really leaned into being designed forward and just kind of being cool. Brandon Williams got his tent three weeks ago and posted a review online, showing the setup process from hooking it up to the truck bed to inflating it with a manual air pump. It just so happens to be exactly what my wife and I are looking for. We've done some tests sleeping in it here next to the house prior to our first camping trip this weekend and we're very happy. It's comfortable. It's spacious. But comments on his video disagreeing with his take, Elon is clearly not a camper and what an absolute paint to set up for what you actually end up with. While design changes

from concept to production are not unusual, the mixed tent reviews come as some users share old school car troubles they're having with this futuristic vehicle. From a truck struggling to drive in the snow to this video of a cyber truck getting stuck on an incline and getting towed by a Ford pickup truck. And then this video of a user showing the truck allegedly malfunctioning as it's being driven off the line. This week, Tesla reporting sales dropped by 8.5% from last year, beating even the most pessimistic predictions from analysts. Frustration among the Tesla faithful about the direction of the company. The stock is down dramatically at a time when the market in general is seeing a real kind

of exuberance. And when it comes to those tents, competition is heating up. Rivian's electric SUV also boasting camper-like adaptability with options for a full travel kitchen and a rooftop tent. As the EV market grows, so are expectations, and Tesla now feeling the pressure. All right, Stephen, joins us down in studio. So, Stephen, we've seen a lot of pushback online about the tense. Has Elon commented on them at all?

Yeah, we've asked Tesla and Elon trying to get a comment about this for a couple of days now, have not heard back. I did check Elon's ex account, though, formerly Twitter, to try to see what he's saying about the cyber truck. He is calling it Bullet Tough. He also posted an image showing that it can withstand a shot from a bow and arrow, but nothing really about the base camp tent that I could

find at all. And we're still hoping for a response because there are a lot of Tesla super fans who really are kind of disappointed. Some of them are happy, but a lot of them are disappointed, so we really want to know what they have to say about. And to be clear, the tent is not bulletproof or arrowproof, right? Not that I've seen, yeah, I'd be very surprised. It looks kind of tarp-like to me.

Stephen Romo, we thank you for that. When we come back, the trailblazing road to the final four, Monday's already historic matchup between LSU and Iowa, smashing viewership records and the trend going all season, the new deal announced by ESPN after this year's viewership

of the women's NCAA basketball beat out the men. We'll explain it all. Stay here. Finally tonight, as March Madness enters its final week, fans cannot get enough of the women's tournament. Monday's game-breaking viewership records

and superstar Caitlin Clark earning a spot as one of the best college players in a generation. Antonio Hilton tonight has more on how this year's tournament could catapult women's college basketball. Clark, backdoor, Martin, easy two. Tonight, the numbers from the Iowa LSU matchup are in. The duel between megastars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, shattering records.

Reese left alone lays it in. With 12.3 million viewers, it ranks as the most watched women's college basketball game ever, topping the previous best by over 2 million. It became the game. Like, it was the thing that everyone felt that they needed to plan their day around. And if you didn't, you felt like you were going to be missing a cultural moment. It was a long-awaited rematch for Clark and Reese after Reese's LSU's LSU Tigers beat Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes in the national championship last year. Reese famously taunting Clark in that game.

But it was Clark who got her revenge in Monday's matchup. Catch fire and hit Clark. Oh, my! Schenectady. Clark, she's possessed. Torching the Tigers with 41 points and 12 assists, setting records of her own. Most career threes in Division I history. Punching the Hawkeyes ticket to the final four. This time it's Iowa.

Restitching the trash talk from last year, making a point to offer supportive words to Clark before leaving the court. I told her, continue to be a great player as well and keep Ler. Elevate in the game and go win it. Reese declaring for the WNBA draft now, knowing the two will meet again. I do think that they both going to the W is going to be huge. Absolutely, they'll continue to play. And I think we'll be turning the TV on to watch them square off against each other, no matter what teams they're on.

Huge stars like Clark and Reese helping supercharge viewership all season. Women's NCAA basketball beating out the men's this season. And ESPN, signing a new deal to carry the women's tournament, valuing it 10 times higher than the previous deal. But for most fans, the focus is on this weekend's final four. Being so close last year, I think that's what just drives you. As Caitlin Clark tries to crown her dream season with a championship. We don't want this to end and we want to keep coming back and working hard with each other

and fighting for one more week and, you know, extended as long as you possibly can, I guess. And get this, the average resale for a women's final four ticket is now $2,300. twice as much as the men's final four all right we thank you for watching top story tonight i'm tom yamas in new york stay right there more news on the way