Top Story with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Episode Date: February 22, 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, tensions growing between Washington and Moscow over the detainment of another dual U.S. Russian citizen. The California employer of Kesnea, Carolina, saying she was taken into custody because of a small donation to a Ukrainian charity. Top U.S. officials now telling any Americans in Russia to leave immediately and saying any U.S. citizens who are considering traveling there should not do it. That warning as the U.S. slaps more sanctions on Russia following the death of opposition leader Alexi Navalny. Also breaking tonight, Alabama's largest hospital pausing IVF treatments, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, saying they made the difficult decision after the state's Supreme Court ruled an embryo is a human being, what this could mean for women struggling to conceive, including those who have already started the IVF process in that state. Student death outrage, the family of a non-binary teenager breaking their silence following the 16-year-old's death. The team dying one day after a fight inside a school bathroom, their mother saying they were constantly bullied over their gender identity. The autopsy results were just seeing.

Deadly protest overseas, police in New Delhi deploying tear gas and flash bombs as thousands of Indian farmers descend on the capital city. what they're demanding as farmer protests continue to erupt around the world. Plus, the shocking video showing a beer tank valve exploding at a Minnesota brewery, sending a worker flying to the ground. The worker quickly rushing to try and plug it back up, how that brewery is commemorating the incident with a new beer name. And Hotel California on trial. Why the iconic Eagle song is now at the center of a legal battle in New York City,

nearly 50 years after its release. Top story starts right now. Good evening. I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom Yamis. Tonight, U.S. officials are warning Americans to stay out of Russia following the detainment of another U.S. Russian citizen. As we reported last night, Los Angeles-based ballerina Kessnia, Carolina, was arrested in Russia on suspicion of treason after she made a donation to a Ukrainian charity. That donation reportedly less than $60.

Video from the Russian Federal Security Service shows her blindfolded, handcuffed, and in a cell. U.S. officials say she traveled back to Russia in January to visit her parents, siblings, and 90-year-old grandmother. She is not the only U.S. citizen in Russian custody. Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, he was arrested in Russia in December of 2018 and is serving a 16-year prison sentence for espionage. That sentence began in 2020. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkevitz, he was detained on espionage charges in March 23 while reporting in Russia. Another appeal for his release was denied this week. And Russian-American journalist Al-Su Kermasheva. She was detained in October of 2023, charged with failure to register as a foreign agent. All three

of them deny the allegations against them. National Security spoke. John Kirby with a stark warning for any Americans still in Russia. If you're a U.S. citizen, including a dual national, residing in or traveling in Russia, you ought to leave right now. We're also learning new details tonight about new U.S. sanctions on Russia for the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. So for more on the tension between the Biden administration and the Kremlin, let's get right to NBC's Gabe Gutierrez, who is,

live outside of the White House on the North lawn. So, Gabe, in addition to Kirby's remarks, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, making this warning to any Americans who might travel to Russia. Listen. No American citizens should consider traveling to Russia for any reason, period, because they are at risk of detention, imprisonment by the Russian regime. If you were considering travel to Russia for any reason, do not do it. I don't think we can say that anymore, clear.

I mean, Gabe, these are very strong words from a number of officials. What is it about Kessnia-Karolina's arrest that has them so concerned right now? Yeah, Alison, a very clear message. And Russia continues to detain its own citizens and continues to detain American citizens, including dual nationals. So the Biden administration is ramping up those warnings for any American in Russia to get out immediately, as you just heard. The State Department says it's been asking for consular access to. Carolina, but so far that has not been granted. And you'll remember, Allison, that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gerskovich is also still detained in Russia. So is Paul Whelan. And of course,

there was the Britney Griner incident. So the U.S. believes that it is dangerous for American citizens there. Allison. Gabe, what more do we know about the sanctions that are expected to be announced on Friday? Well, Alson, a senior administration official says those new sanctions will likely target individual Russians and also involve the ongoing capping of Russian oil prices. U.S. officials say the robust sanctions will also be tailored to target, at least in part, entities related to Navalny's imprisonment. Another senior administration official tells NBC News, the U.S. is also working on a long-term plan to seize frozen Russian assets, but the U.S. only controls a fraction of them, which are mostly held in Europe else.

And we've also heard from President Biden commenting specifically on something we've seen on the campaign trail. Nikki Haley going after former President Donald Trump for his remarks on Navalny. What did the president have to say? Yeah, former President Trump is under fire. And out of Fox News Town Hall last night, he compared Navalny's death to his own legal troubles, saying that we're turning into a communist country. Notably, Mr. Trump has not mentioned Vladimir Putin at all over the last few days. and President Biden ripping him for that.

Take a listen. Why does Trump always blame America? Putin is responsible for Navalny's death. Why can't Trump just say that? Putin's responsible. Again, that was a video just released by the White House over the last 24 hours or so, and the president reiterating his call for House Republicans to pass more aid for Ukraine and to hold Putin accountable.

Alison. NBC News, Senior Wollinger. White House correspondent, Gabe Gutierrez. Thank you. Turning now to Capitol Hill and the latest in the House GOP's impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Biden's older brother, James, speaking with Republican lawmakers in a closed door meeting today, telling them that his brother never had any involvement in his business dealings. NBC News, Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles joins us now from the Hill with the latest. So, Ryan, what else can you tell us about this meeting behind closed doors? How long did it last?

What were some of those conversations? Well, it was a significant amount of time, Ellis. In almost eight hours, James Biden was behind closed doors with investigators, both Republican and Democrat from the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees. We don't know too much about the contents of the back and forth between James Biden and these investigators, but we do have at least a preview or a glimpse of what he planned to tell the committee because they released his opening statement. And in that opening statement, he makes it very clear that from his point of view,

brother never had any influence or any role in any of his business dealings. And he didn't just say that in a general sense. He also talked about a number of very specific business dealings that House Republicans have been zeroed in on and focused on and talked about some of their claims and answered some of those claims in that lengthy opening statement. Now, we expect Republicans still continue to press him about the specifics about his business dealings, emails that he may have sent where he invoked his president and president brother's name. But at the end of the day, whether or not this is going to lead to some sort of some sort of substantive smoking gun that will lead to President Biden's impeachment still seems pretty elusive for

House Republicans. Yeah, Hunter Biden is expected to meet with House GOP members sometime next week. Is there a rough timeline as to when we, the country, you as a reporter there, might learn from House GOP members if they do plan to move forward with articles of impeachment? Well, they're being very vague about the timeline, Ellison. They want to be able to have every option at the table should some new piece of evidence present itself that they can move on quickly. But there is a sense that the interview of James Biden, the upcoming interview of Hunter Biden, really signals kind of the climax of this investigation, at least as it relates to Hunter and James Biden's business dealings and any potential interface that the president may have had. There's a broader question, though, as to if there's a shift in focus related to President Biden's handling of classified documents, especially in the wake of the Her report. Republicans have been very critical about the way the Her report was brought out.

They're going to bring her to testify in front of the committee later in the next couple of months. So there's no timeline specifically as to when this could end, but it's clear, Ellison, that Republicans are not giving up this investigation. Ryan Nobles on Capitol Hill. Thank you. For more on the state of the House GOP impeachment inquiry into President Biden and what it might mean politically for him. Let's bring in NBC News senior national politics reporter Jonathan Allen. So, John, Joe Biden's brother interviewed for hours today. How are people inside of the Biden campaign and also inside of the White House reacting to this? I mean, I think they believe that at this moment, it is what it has been all.

along, which is a fishing expedition without any fish, at least none that can be seen at this point. So the House Republicans have been investigating Hunter Biden. They interviewed James Biden today. There's really not any proof of anything from the House Republicans so far that has been produced other than that they share a last name with the president and have had business dealings. Not that, you know, President Biden or former then-Vice-President Biden or Senator Biden was actually involved in their business dealing. So I think the White House is feeling like they're in a pretty good position in terms of the facts that have been laid out at this point. The Biden campaign feeling good that they're in a good position on the facts that have been laid out.

And it should be mentioned that one of the key witnesses against Hunter Biden has recently come under fire for being, it was arrested for being dishonest about some of the things that he had said. So, you know, we'll have to see how that case plays out. But I think right now the White House is feeling like the Republicans have taken their best shot and have missed. Yeah, let's talk a little more about that, former FBI informant. It was determined that they lied about information that House Republicans thought could have been some sort of smoking gun here. I'm curious when you were talking to Republican sources, do they privately acknowledge that this is an issue? I mean, I know we've heard a lot from Jim Jordan and others talking about the idea of this being about the quote-unquote brand that came with the Biden name.

But when it comes to that FBI informant, are they privately saying, hey, this is a problem for us? They put so much weight on it. I mean, you're not really going to hear anybody say that. Certainly not publicly. Even privately, I haven't heard that yet. But part of the reason for that is that this impeachment inquiry is largely political. You know, it's, again, there's been no evidence produced again. against President Biden for all the investigation that's gone on.

And again, to the extent that there is some smoking gun that the Republicans thought they had out there, that's undercut, of course, by the charges against this FBI informant. So at this point, you know, Republicans are going to continue with this process, as Ryan said, they don't have a timeline for when they're going to move forward with impeachment. The reason they don't have a timeline for it is because they don't have the votes to do it right now. There are not enough Republicans in the House GOP caucus who would vote to impeach Joe Biden. And the last thing we want to do is bring impeachment charges to the House floor and have them fail. So what could, what does all of this mean for the 2024 election?

For Donald Trump, I mean, legal issues, impeachment, it does seem to help him with his base, his core group of supporters. His largest fundraising halls were in April and August. That was right after he was charged and booked in New York and Georgia. same true for Biden, or is this odd political benefit from having what might have in the past been seen as a problematic or negative headline? Is that a benefit Biden could see, too? Or is that something only Donald Trump can pull off? Yeah, it may be the latter, Alison. You know, the driving force behind fundraising for Joe Biden and for enthusiasm for Joe Biden is Donald Trump. Whereas with Trump, he's been able to

portray himself as a victim. If you just look at how he's. He is, you know, comparing himself to Alexi Navalny, right, basically saying he's the subject to political investigation. That's something that he uses to great effect with his base. Joe Biden, of course, is the subject of a largely political investigation, maybe entirely political investigation in the House. That's not working quite the same way for him with his base. What he's got to rely on is Democrats being excited and enthusiastic and willing to give money,

and I think they have been so far to get rid of Donald Trump or to prevent Donald Trump from returning to the White House. All right. John Allen, interesting stuff. Thank you so much. We appreciate it. Next to another big headline tonight, the fallout from the bombshell ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court saying frozen embryos created by in vitro fertilization are people. A hospital now saying they will pause all IVF procedures because of this decision. NBC News senior legal correspondent Laura Jarrett has more. Questions, confusion, and mounting frustration to-

night in Alabama as the state's largest hospital swiftly halts all IVF procedures. Just days after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled frozen embryos must be treated as children, meaning people can be sued for destroying them. The University of Alabama at Birmingham saying today it's saddened that it must stop all IVF as it evaluates the potential that our patients and physicians could be prosecuted criminally or face punitive damages for following the standard of care. My rage knows no bounds. Abby Crane, a patient at UAB with frozen embryos she hopes to to use soon, first saw the news on Instagram, but has heard nothing from the hospital. I just want to be a mom, and it's wild to me that the state that I've called home has more say

over that than I do right now. The court decision leaving doctors in a legal bind, given that frozen embryos with genetic abnormalities are routinely discarded before implantation as part of fertility treatments so that patients avoid miscarriages or other complications. I anticipate hearing from my doctor soon, but I have no clue what that's going to look like. I have no clue if it means that I need to move to another state in order to have children. I mean, it could be anything. The decision reaching far beyond Alabama tonight, Nikki Haley telling NBC News as Ali Vitale, She agrees with the court.

I mean, embryos to me are babies. But back in Birmingham, uncertainty. Megan Cole's surrogate is scheduled for implantation with a frozen embryo this Friday. My husband and I want a child desperately. For now, she can only wait to hear if her fertility clinic will go forward with the procedure. I just hate not knowing. And that's kind of what this opinion has caused. It's caused a lot of people to be in limbo, which is unfair.

And Laura joins us now in studio. So, Laura, this is exactly what critics of this ruling were worried about. Do we expect to see this more across that state? So look, other states now are considering similar wrongful death statutes that would allow parents to sue if their embryos are destroyed. Florida also considering a similar bill like that. Other states looking for laws that would have life begin at the moment of fertilization, which again would mean that if embryos are destroyed, you could be on the hook for wrongful deaths. So this is not limited to just Alabama. There are some people that look at this ruling.

They say, okay, they were talking about an 1872 law. This is one state doing one thing. Do you think this is something we will see the Supreme Court take up? It's hard to know. I think the Supreme Court has tried to stay out of some of the state fights that have been going on since they overturn Roe v. Wade. But this is certainly the natural output of that decision where you kick everything back to the states and you sort of see this hodgepodge of different rulings across the country. I have to say I called dozens of clinics across the state of Alabama today.

Many of them not knowing what to tell their patients is they're still evaluating this decision even days later. What will you be watching in the coming days as it relates to this ruling? And for somebody who maybe just follows this a little on the side, what is the thing that you think? Okay, this is what you really need to understand. Everyone I talked to was shocked to realize that IVF, as they know it, would be completely paused. They understood that there were some, you know, skirmishes going on, and there's different lawsuits, but nobody thought they would completely get rid of IVF, as they have in the state of Alabama.

One hospital, the largest one there, has completely paused it. So we'll see, again, if other clinics follow suit. Laura Jarrett, thank you. Now to another high-profile court case. Today was day one in the New Mexico trial for Rust film set armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. Gutierrez-Reed faces up to three years in jail if prosecutors can prove she was responsible for the lethal live round of ammunition in Alps. Alec Baldwin's prop gun that killed the film's cinematographer and Lena Hutchins.

NBC News Entertainment correspondent Chloe Malas reports. Jury selection has started in the criminal trial of Russ film armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for the film's weapons, is on trial for involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence for allegedly handing off a bag of cocaine to a friend after the shooting. You can't believe Alec Baldwin was holding the gun. It's been over two years since the deadly shooting when actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun, loaded with live ammunition, killing cinematographer Helena Hutchins and injuring director Joel Sousa. Well, I didn't pull the trigger.

Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can't say who that is, but I know it's not me. Alec Baldwin will stand trial this summer after a grand jury indicted him on one count of involuntary manslaughter. He has pleaded not guilty. So here's the box that I got them out of. Gutierrez-Reed's attorney telling NBC News, She is ready for her day in court and looks forward to the full truth finally coming out. She is not guilty of the crimes charged against her. Evidence presented at trial could include video exclusively obtained by NBC News in November.

Step back to your original mark. As well as text messages, prosecutors say, show Gutierrez-Reed was using alcohol and drugs after work, including the night before the fatal shooting. If convicted, Gutierrez-Reed faces three years in prison. Alison, I asked Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's attorney, Jason Bowles, if she will be taking the stand during this two-week trial. And he wouldn't answer. What we do know is that first responders and sheriffs will be testifying and there will potentially be a weapons expert. But will she talk about what happened during that deadly shooting two years ago?

That's left to be seen. Chloe Malas, thank you. For more on this trial, I'm joined now by NBC News, legal analyst Danny Savalo. So, Danny, we've talked about this case a lot. Pick it up where things are right now. I mean, if you are the prosecutor here, what kind of case have you built against Hannah Gutierrez-Reed? That's a tough question because I've been pretty open about the fact I don't think this is a particularly strong case. But if there is a case to be made, it is to be made against this defendant.

Because unlike Alec Baldwin, she did have arguably primary responsibility for gun safety on the set. Now, she will point to other defendants, other defendants, including the first assistant director who already pleaded guilty, other defendants in the chain of command, and then she'll use what's called the empty chair defense, and in this case, she will literally point to an empty chair because they should argue that, hey, the real perpetrator is whoever brought these live rounds on set. Why hasn't the state investigated that? Why have they not run down who did this?

Why don't they care? That's the real criminal. That's the argument that they need to pursue. That end, this was other people's responsibility. You may remember that Gutierrez-Reed early on complained that this was such a low-budget film that she was made to do multiple jobs. Look for them to argue or put on evidence that she was overwhelmed, and therefore this act of alleged negligence was really the fault of other people.

But look, the strongest case the state has is probably against Gutierrez-Reed. So if they're going to get a conviction, it's going to be here. and I don't think it's going to be against Alec Baldwin. If they don't get a conviction in this case, do you think they reverse course and drop the charge against Alec Baldwin? Because right now he is set to be tried for involuntary manslaughter as both the actor who was holding this weapon. He says he didn't pull the trigger.

Prosecutors have said something different now. But also the executive producer on this set, where by all accounts, and they've paid a civil fine, I believe, acknowledging there were some serious safety lacks here. I mean, to say the very least. Sure. I mean, already so far in the last couple of years, all different people instead of pointed the fingers at each other. Now, some of those are because, for example, they may have pleaded guilty and now they're cooperating. So this is to be expected.

Everyone's going to start blaming each other, and that's going to include in criminal prosecutions. Look, in this case, if Gutierrez-Reed is acquitted, will the prosecutors drop their case against Baldwin? Well, let me take off my normal prosecutor hat and put on these prosecutors' hat. because these prosecutors have not behaved, I think, consistently with the way prosecutors should. Already so far, they charged a crime against Alec Baldwin. They charged him with two counts after investigating the case for a year, and one of those counts was determined to be unconstitutional. They had a year to investigate it.

Then they withdrew prosecution. Then they waited for ballistics to get back. By the way, ballistics take in a major city a matter of months, maybe at the most. We're talking years, and they haven't figured out whether this gun was – maybe it was modified. Maybe it wasn't. Gosh, we don't know. Let's just charge him because they charge him. They uncharge him. Now they charge him again. So if Gutierrez-Reed is acquitted, do I think they'll drop the charges against Baldwin? Probably not. Should they? I don't think they should have brought the charges in the first place.

All right. Well, we will see. Danny Savalos. Thank you so much. We appreciate it. Next to the late developments in the death of a non-binary teen in Oklahoma. In Oklahoma. Next, Benedict died at a hospital just one day after a fight at their school. police releasing a preliminary autopsy report for the 16-year-old saying the cause of death was not because of trauma. All of this, as Benedict's family speaks out, their mom says they were constantly bullied at school because of their gender identity. NBC News correspondent Stephen Romo has this report. Tonight, police in Oklahoma releasing preliminary autopsy findings in the death of a non-binary teen who died after a fight at school. 16-year-old Nex Benedict dying at the hospital on February 8th, according to police,

one day after they were involved in a fight at the Owasso High School West Campus just outside of Tulsa. A school, Nex's mother, told the independent, where the teen was bullied for their gender identity. Owasso police now saying the medical examiner has determined Nex did not die as a result of trauma and that the cause of death is pending until toxicology results and other tests, come in. It's unclear if the fight was connected to the bullying, but here is what we do know. According to the school, a, quote, physical altercation started in the bathroom on February 7th. The fight lasted less than two minutes before other students and a staff member broke it up. The students involved were able to walk themselves to the assistant principals and nurses' office.

The students gave statements to district administrators and guardians were contacted. The nurse determined an ambulance was not needed, but it was. advised one student's guardian to take them to the hospital for further evaluation. According to police at around 3.30 p.m. Next's guardian called police to the Bailey Medical Center, where the school resource officer took a statement. The next day, the Owasso police found out the teen was rushed back to the hospital in the evening and pronounced dead. Owasso Public School says it followed proper protocol and called the death devastating. Next's mother, Sue Benedict, releasing a statement to NBC's Tulsa affiliate, acknowledging initial

confusion over the teen's name in the media, saying in part, quote, we are sorry for not using their name correctly, and as parents, we are still learning the correct forms. Please do not bully us for our ignorance. I lost my child. The headstone will have their correct name of their choice. I'm going to be honest. At first, I didn't feel anything. I couldn't. Former schoolmate Alexander Davison saying the loss is traumatic. What are we supposed to do about that besides grief? It's not just nexus story. It is a story of what is happening because of so much hate

that is targeted towards a trans and non-binary community in this country. Across the country, more than 500 anti-LGBQ plus bills were proposed last year and 75 were made into laws across 23 states. In the past, Oklahoma successfully passing bills ranging from banning gender-affirming care to restricting bathrooms. Currently, the state has 54 anti-LGBQ plus bills in the pipeline, according to the ACLU, the most of any state in the country. It's not just the bills. It's this culture of violent rhetoric and actions that are really traumatizing our community. While many questions remain about Next's death, it's clear the loss is being felt. felt far beyond their small town.

And Stephen Romo joins us now. Stephen, a lot of questions to start just absolute devastation for that young child, a 16-year-old who is no longer here. But let's talk a little more about the legislation that is at issue. You mentioned the massive amount of what the ACLU calls anti-LGBQ-plus legislation in Oklahoma. What about at the local level? What sort of things were happening within this small community? Yeah, Owasso is a small suburb outside of Tulsa.

Owasso Public Schools, the school district, no stranger to anti-LGBQ controversy. In 2022, a teacher was targeted by the far-right social media account, Lips of TikTok. That teacher eventually resigned. They had posted videos affirming LGBTQ plus students. And just last month, the leader of Lips of TikTok was appointed to a state library advisory committee by state superintendent Ryan Walters. Meanwhile, Ryan Walters is facing a lawsuit for trying to prevent trans students from changing their information on their school record. So this is a very divisive issue in Oklahoma, and Owasso is no exception to that. But, of course, we can't lose sight of the loss of this 16-year-old, this devastating loss for this community and friends and family as well,

and all of the questions that still surround this death, Allison. All right. Well, we know you will stay on this story. Thank you. We appreciate your reporting, Stephen Romo, for us. Still ahead tonight, mid-air bomb scare. A United Airlines flight heading from New Jersey to L.A., making an emergency landing in Chicago. The chilling note reportedly found in the plane's bathroom. Plus, the former president of Honduras on trial in the United States, the allegations he was running a so-called narco state while allegedly accepting millions of dollars from the U.S. to fight the war on drugs.

And a legal battle over the iconic Eagle Song Hotel, California, why some patients, containing the song's lyrics are now at the center of a criminal case. Stay with us. Back now with the latest in the drug trafficking trial of Honduras's former president, Juan Orlando Hernandez. Hernandez once thought to be an ally of the U.S. in the war against drugs, now facing multiple charges, including that he took bribes from cartels and allowed enormous amounts of cocaine. to reach the United States. NBC News correspondent, Guadvanakis, has the latest.

Tonight, Honduras's ex-president on trial, accused of running what the U.S. Justice Department called a narco state while receiving millions of dollars from the United States to crack down on drugs. It's not every day that you see a president of a foreign country being extradited put on trial in the United States. Prosecutors pulling no punches against former president, Juan Orlando Hernandez, in court Wednesday,

saying that although he cooperated with the U.S. and was tough on drugs publicly during his eight years in office, he actually worked hand in hand with traffickers and protected drug organizations who paid him to allow tons of cocaine through Honduras that eventually arrived in the U.S. The indictment accusing him of even using the military and the national police to protect the shipments. Prosecutors have a very strong case against Mr. Hernandez. His co-defendants have already pled guilty. and in a conspiracy case like this, that usually means they've agreed to testify. Hernandez was extradited to the U.S. in April of 2022 and has maintained his innocence for years. On Monday, Hernandez's wife and former First Lady taking to social media to read a letter he wrote claiming he was being framed by cartels for targeting them, a notion also aren't.

argued by his defense team in court. I'm victim of a vengeance and a conspiration for part of the groups of the crime organized and enemies political. Hernandez's presidency was riddled with controversy culminating in 2021 when his brother, Juan Antonio Hernandez, a former congressman, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison

in the U.S. on drug and weapons charges. During those years, by all accounts, corruption exploded in Honduras. Drug trafficking seems to have been. and one in nine Honduras actually left the country, almost all of them headed for the United States. The former congressman's case implicating Hernandez. Even though a lot of this testimony will be of former drug dealers, that same testimony is what successfully convicted his brother behind bars for life in prison. Outside the courthouse in New York today, a crowd of Hondurians

waiting for an outcome. This woman saying they just want justice for Honduras and for more people involved with Hernandez's alleged crimes to be extradited. There are those who hold out hope that this sentence will really send a powerful message and begin to change the status quo in the country. Guad joins us now with

more. So Guad, if the ex-president is found guilty, what sort of sentence could he be facing? Ellison, there are three charges against him, three counts that include weapons possession and also drug trafficking. Now, have convicted on all of these counts. He faces

a minimum of 40 years in prison, but it could be a maximum of life in prison. And that's exactly what a judge gave to his brother and also the same sentence that was given to Chapa Husman, both who have been convicted of drug trafficking, that prosecutors say are connected to the ex-president and the crimes they say he committed, Ellison. Guadvanegas, thank you. Turning now to another legal battle involving one of the most iconic rock and roll songs ever, three music memorabilia experts facing charges for conspiring. to sell the original paper drafts of the Eagles classic Hotel California.

Why prosecutors say they're keeping the documents from Eagles co-founder Don Henley. NBC's Aaron McLaughlin has this report. It's the song that arguably made the Eagles one of the greatest runk and roll bands of all time. Hotel California, the six-plus-minute title track of a the iconic album, which would become the third highest selling in history. An ode to what Eagle's co-founder Don Henley once called The Dark Underbelly of the American Dream. Don Henley and Glenn Frye, especially Don, wrote some just brilliant lyrics.

Don, as a lyricist, writes these little postcard pictures, and he throws you a picture on a dark desert highway. You can see that. You can feel it. The warm smell of palates. through the air you can smell it the pages where those legendary lyrics were first sketched out at the center of a criminal trial kicking off today in new york glen horowitz craig insiarty and edward kaczynski are all prominent in the world of music collectibles the three men were

arrested in 2022 on a slew of charges for allegedly trying to stop henley from reclaiming more than 80 pages of draft lyrics there's a new kid in town Contained in those pages, early versions of some of the Eagles' greatest hits. New Kid in Town, Life in the Fast Lane, and Hotel California. This case, I would think, is pretty rare. There is usually safeguards in place to prevent stolen items from being sold publicly. The Manhattan District Attorney says Henley reported the pages stolen when he saw them go up for auction more than a decade ago, then wrongfully in the possession of Insciardi and Kaczynski.

When Henley's lawyers came looking for the documents, prosecutors allege the two defendants fabricated stories to provide a legitimate ownership history, all the while having illegally purchased the drafts from Horowitz. All three defendants denied the allegations. Their lawyers arguing the documents were legally obtained from an Eagles biographer. Even though they're not accused of stealing anything, the prosecution still has to prove that the items,

that the lyric sheets were stolen, and then prove that the men, conspired knowing that they were stolen to sell them and to keep them away from their rightful owner. A legal battle now playing out for the legacy of that mysterious hotel in the desert where you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. Well, Alison, beyond the legacy of one of the most recognizable songs in rock and roll history, there are high stakes in the this case. Prosecutors say the documents in question are worth more than a million dollars. And the conspiracy charges the defendants are facing carry maximum penalty of up to four years in prison.

Alison. Erin McLaughlin, thank you. When we come back, brewery explosion, a beer tank valve erupting, spraying an employee and knocking him to the ground, the rush to stop any more beer from spewing onto the floor. That's next. Back now with Top Stories News Feed, and we begin with the bomb threat on a United Airlines flight. The flight was traveling from Newark, New Jersey to Los Angeles when it was diverted to Chicago. A source telling NBC News a written bomb threat was found in the plane's bathroom. The flight was evacuated without incident. No word on any arrest, but officials say there is no imminent threat to the public.

An explosion at a Minnesota brewery caught on camera. Just take a look at this. Surveillance video showing the moment a beer tank valve burst, shooting beer out of the opening and knocking over an employee. The employee managing to get up and tried to plug it back up as beer just gushed onto the floor. The employee was not hurt. The back channel brewing company says they've now named the IPA blowback. And a consumer alert, rather, this one for more than 15 million Toshiba laptop adapters. They have been recalled. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said the AC adapters can overheat and spark a fire. According to the company, there have been 680 reports of overheating, and 40 of those resulted in burns.

The adapters were sold between April 2008 and April 2014. Customers are urged to stop using them immediately. Next tonight to Florida, where there is a growing concern about a measles outbreak that has made at least six students sick at just one elementary school. NBC News correspondent Sam Brock has more on what's being done to try and stop the spread. Thank you for being here. Staff, thank you so much. Class is in session at Manatee Bay Elementary in South Florida. After a cluster of measles cases here, six in less than a week has fanned concern for some parents. Right now, I'm not sending my 10-year-old.

to school. So I'm keeping her at home. We stepped up the hand washing and this and that and we're just doing our best to cope. Broward County Superintendent Dr. Peter Lakata today at a monthly school board meeting. The health department is currently at the school until 6 p.m. today offering vaccine opportunities. Lakata says the district is taking action to safeguard families. We're doing deep cleaning. We're cleaning our buses. We've replaced all the air filters. We've done everything we can physically to make the difference. Nationwide, the New Year has swept in more than two dozen cases of measles. La Cotta says 97% of Manatee Bay Elementary students have received at least one shot of the vaccine.

But pediatrician Dr. Jack Orr says explains that Broward County is at higher risk for cases because of all the international travelers, plus vaccine exemptions for religious or health reasons, are rising. Are you surprised to see measles reemerging in 2024? I'm very surprised to see it reemerging because it's something that's completely, preventable and it's only those people who refuse to immunize that are really bringing this back to the United States. While families at Manatee Bay doing whatever they can to protect themselves. We're trying to keep calm, just so not to add to any potential hysteria. And Ellison, we mentioned that 97% of the students at Manatee Bay Elementary School have had at least one shot of the vaccine.

What does that actually equate to? In a student body of almost 1,100 students, it's only 33. And then Within that subset, six of them have already had it, which is to say it's a sliver of a sliver. But as I talk to superintendents and parents and those invested in the community, they explain they got brothers and sisters, right? So it's not just this one school, even though measles hasn't spread anywhere else in Broward County yet. The deep concern right now is that they could spread it to loved ones and then take it to another school setting, and we do this all over again.

Back to you. Sam Brock in Florida, thank you. Coming up, the deadly protests taking place in India. Police deploying tear gas and flash bombs as thousands of farmers marched into the capital city. At least one person killed the change they're calling for tonight. Now to top stories, Global Watch. India's farmer protests turning deadly. New video shows police using tear gas and flash bombs to disperse crowds as they

marched towards the capital city of New Delhi. Some farmers reportedly throwing stones and chili powder in response. At least one person died. Dozens were hurt. The farmers are seeking new legislation for guaranteed crop prices on 23 crops. A move they say will help stabilize their income. In Argentina, train drivers walking off of the job for 24 hours. The unionized rail workers going on strike after negotiations for better pay and working conditions collapsed. Both passenger and cargo trains were disrupted nationwide. This is the latest in a series of strikes in the Latin American country in response to new economic measures by their president, Javier Milley. And a giant new anaconda species has been discovered in the Amazon.

Indigenous hunters and a team of scientists on location with Nat Geo stumbling upon this newly named Northern Green Anaconda. The 20-foot snake is possibly the largest in the world. It is closely related to the southern green Anaconda. which they are believed to have split off from almost 10 million years ago. However, scientists warn their ecosystem is under threat. Now we are going to take a close look at the brewing tensions between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan through the lens of this year's Oscar-nominated documentary Island in Between. The film focusing on the Kinman Islands land under Taiwanese control that sits just over a mile away from the mainland.

Their proximity reminding us of the global risk of a potential conflict between, between the two sides. NBC's Richard Louis takes us there. Two opposing military forces close enough to see each other and hear each other. Taiwan's Kinmen Islands, just over a mile from the Chinese mainland, a place littered with warnings of past and future conflict. Tensions rose just this week, China beefing up its presence in the waters around Kinmen after the death of two Chinese nationals. A war in the Taiwan Strait would be a global proportion.

which would impact the Europe, Asia, and America. At the peak of tensions, China, which considers Taiwan, its territory, dropped close to half a million bombs on Kinmen. You'll see this interesting combination of beautiful natural environment, but also foreboding, concrete, camouflaged bunkers from the 1940s Chinese Civil War. Nominated for this year's Academy Awards, Leo Chang's movie is a rare on the ground look at the very location. many worry another global conflict could start.

Kinman is, in effect, the cork in the communist invasion bottle, performing much the same role for Asia as does Berlin in Europe. With historical stakes just as high. But to indicate in advance how we would respond, to indicate the nature of his response would be incorrect. The commander of the Asiatic fleet has said that these islands are not worth the bones of a single American. Today, worth at minimum American dollars. Over $4 billion in the Senate's recent bill for Taiwan, echoing support from both presidential candidates.

If President Xi were to invade, President Biden said he would. I won't say. I won't say. Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that? Yes. You are? That's a commitment we made. White House officials later backtrack saying policy of unofficial recognition of Taiwan had not changed. But officially for Taiwan just this month, contracts awarded.

for U.S. made Raytheon missiles. What should the next president consider about this theater? When the Obama administration pivoted to Asia, this essentially meant that U.S. policy going forward would be tied to things like defense of Taiwan, Kim Min Island. Also tied to Hollywood, it seems,

island in between the only selection from or about Taiwan in this year's Oscars. Academy Awards darling Ang Lee noticing too saying how largely forgotten this flashpoint is. The situation between Taiwan and China is in this perpetual stalemate, and the people in Taiwan are trapped in between. And that's certainly how I feel. Trapped in between two global identities and countries. And for as many as one million Americans with ties to Taiwan, in between, as Chang says, may be where they feel they belong. Richard Louis, NBC News, New York. And Richard joins us

now in studio. So Richard, talk to us a little more about what the director means. when he's talking about this idea of being in between and specifically what that means for Taiwanese Americans. It's a very interesting concept in between. For him taking off his director's hat for a moment, he reflects that I have two passports, one from the United States and one from Taiwan. And that makes him make decisions a little bit differently day to day.

He loves both places, he often says, and he absolutely underlines. But when it comes to Taiwan, they're often stuck in between in the same way. And the way he describes it in the documentary is that, you know, When we think about the idea of geopolitical footballs, Taiwan is that. Taiwan and, excuse me, China and the United States often leveraging the country, the island rather, in those discussions. And for those of Taiwanese roots are saying, we want more action after all these decades, less politics.

Victor Chow, who served on the National Security Council and has served and advised administrations from both parties, says when it means in between, yeah, we have Japan and Korea, her major democracy support the United States. But it comes to the tip of the spear of this discussion of an outpost of democracy. It is truly Taiwan stuck between these super economic powers, China and the United States. And so we need to keep an eye on that for this election. And perhaps it comes down to economic treaties. And the Oscars, pretty interested in this, right?

What is going on there in the Oscar world? Yeah, when it comes to the Oscars, this is an interesting choice. It is the only, as we mentioned, choice that is from and about somebody from Taiwan. And as they have tried to diversify their membership and those who vote for the winners, we have seen that change since 2019 when we saw a winner from South Korea. So this is a reflection of a conversation that says we are looking at the geopolitical landscape and bringing conversations from other parts of the world. I think we're going to see a very interesting Oscars, including potentially this documentary.

Richard Louis, thank you so much for bringing that to us. We appreciate it. We will be right back. Stay with us. And finally, tonight, history has been made. Beyonce, now the first black woman to hold the number one spot on Billboard's country chart. Her song, Texas Holden, released just over a week ago and already breaking barriers, also paving the way for other artists looking to make their mark on the country music scene. The Queen Bee is expanding her rain tonight.

Beyonce, becoming the first black woman to top Billboard's hot country chart with her new single, Texas Holden. A song she dropped just over a week ago on Super Bowl Sunday, sending the beehive into utter chaos. What is happening? The country song, a far cry from her days as Sasha Fierce. All the single lady, all the single lady. The most nominated artist in Grammy history. Shifting from her R&B Ruth's, she got her start as one of the lead vocals in Destiny's Child.

With her Texas Hold'em and the release of 16 carriages sitting on country's top ten, the superstar is smashing barriers in a genre historically exclusionary towards black artists. Beyonce isn't the first black female in the country music space, but we've never seen a black woman to get sort of reached this amount of success, especially in the short amount a time. The switch causing controversy over the airwaves, with some country stations initially saying they wouldn't play Beyonce, now quickly reversing that decision and embracing the new hit. I think that she, this is just unprecedented, so people are just trying to figure out how to adjust. Though she might be the most famous, Beyonce certainly isn't the first black woman to enter the

country music scene. In 1969, groundbreaking singer Linda Martel became the first black woman to perform at the Grandal Opry, cracking Billboard's country top 20 with her song, Color Him Father. Today, Beyonce's new feat now amplifying black women already making strides in the world of country music. Prauna Supreme and Tequita, known as One the Duo. It's country's first black mother-daughter duo, springing from hip-hop royalties, Wu-Tang Clan Riza. I think that country and hip-hop are two sides of the same coin. They're both storytelling genres. For us, coming into country, was just like going a street over.

Their journey beginning just four years ago and already making waves for representation through the industry. I think the branding around country is that it's not for black people. And so it was scary trying to figure out how do we do this and not compromise on who we are and be truly authentic to who we are. And also make sure that our culture doesn't get left behind. Beyonce's grand entrance into the country scene opening a whole new frontier for artists like won the duo. That's exactly the advocate that is needed. We needed somebody who is such a mover of economy and mover of culture globally that we needed a champion like that to step forward and be like, oh, y'all, y'all wasn't paying attention? Look over here real quick.

Thanks so much for watching Top Story for Tom Yamis. I'm Ellison Barber in New York. Stay right there. More news now is on the way.