Top Story with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Episode Date: February 27, 2025

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

Tonight, President Trump and Elon Musk sharing the spotlight at the first cabinet meeting. Elon Musk on defense over his federal job cuts as a new directive calls for sweeping layoffs. Plus, what the president revealed about that minerals deal with Ukraine. His meeting with President Zelensky now officially set and what he said for the first time about Russia and a potential peace deal. Also, tonight, growing outrage over an AI video shared by President Trump. The video depicting Gaza transformed into a lavish resort city with a golden statue of Trump. Our teams are in the Gaza Strip as Palestinians react to the video.

The surging measles outbreak in Texas turning deadly. The new details about the fatal case and the warning to parents tonight. The subject of the hit serial podcast, Adnan Syed, back in court, following a major loss in his fight to stay out of prison. Lester Holtz sitting down exclusively with Baltimore's state attorney, about that stunning decision. And tonight, one of Adnan's closest friends joining Top Story, how she's reacting. The shocking death of Hollywood actress Michelle Tractonberg. The star known for roles in Harriet the Spy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl found unresponsive in her

apartment, what we're learning. Spring break crackdown, officials saying the party is over as beach cities add new measures to avoid chaos and violence. We speak with a bar owner who says he's been cut off from making a real profit. And count down to moon launch. The SpaceX rocket carrying a lunar lander just minutes from takeoff will bring you to the launch pad. Plus, the alarming new prediction as egg prices skyrocket, how much more money you could be shelling out. Top story starts right now. Good evening. I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom Yamis. Tonight, President Trump's first cabinet meeting of his second administration. In Trump fashion, the gathering quickly

turning into a press conference touching on everything from trade to job cuts to wars overseas. The roundtable featuring his newly confirmed secretaries as well as tech billionaire Elon Musk. Musk front and center addressing the backlash over Doge's efforts to cut the federal workforce. And President Trump taking back the mic and turning the focus on Russia and Ukraine, saying that he will meet with President Zelenskyy on Friday, hoping to reach national. agreement on a minerals deal, adding that he is confident the war in Ukraine could come to an end, but that President Putin would have to make some concessions. And the president also expanding on his new idea for a path to citizenship, offering a gold card visa at the price of $5 million.

It all comes as the Trump administration releases a new memo saying, quote, agency heads shall promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force, signaling the potential for mass layoffs. NBC News, senior White House correspondent Garrett Haake starts us off tonight. Tonight, President Trump converting his first cabinet meeting into a role in press conference. The legal border crossings have plummeted. Couting progress. We're cutting down the size of government. We have to. We're bloated. We're sloppy. We have a lot of people that aren't doing their job. And immediately turning the spotlight not on a cabinet

member, but on Elon Musk, head of his Department of Government Efficiency. To defend his controversial directive that all federal workers email a list of five accomplishments from last week or face termination. I think that email perhaps was best interpreted as a performance review, but actually it was a pulse check review. If you have a pulse and two neurons, you can reply to an email. This is, you know, I think not a high bar. Musk was surrounded by several cabinet members who had pushed back on his order and instructed employees not to respond. Musk insisting that was fine. We're going to send another email.

But our goal is not to be capricious or unfair. The email could simply be what I'm working on is too sensitive or classified to describe. Like literally just that would be sufficient. The president publicly backing must. And let the cabinet speak just for a second. Anybody unhappy with it. If you are, we'll throw them out of here. And warning, federal workers who've not yet responded remain at risk of losing their jobs.

Those million people that haven't responded, though, Elon, they are on the bubble. Now, maybe they don't exist. Maybe we're paying people that don't exist. It comes as a new budget office memo obtained by NBC News instructs federal agencies to prepare for mass layoffs, as the Trump administration focuses on reducing federal spending. If we don't do this, America will go bankrupt. While Musk acknowledging Doge made mistakes, including cutting funding for Ebola prevention. When we make a mistake, we'll fit.

fix it very quickly. We restored the Ebola prevention immediately, and there was no interruption. The president also making headlines on Ukraine, revealing President Zelensky will visit the White House Friday for the signing of an agreement to jointly develop the country's valuable rare earth minerals to recoup billions in U.S. aid sent to Ukraine. The president suggesting the deal would form its own kind of security guarantee for Ukraine. It's this sort of automatic security because nobody's going to be messing around with our people when we're there. And saying for the first time, Russian President Putin will have to make concessions. He will, he will. It's going to have to.

Vice President Vance heading off a question about what exactly those concessions would be. We're not going to do the negotiation in public with the American media. He's doing the job of a diplomat. And Garrett Hake joins us now from the White House. Garrett, I understand there's also some news tonight about more tariffs. Trump says he plans to impose. Yeah, listen, the president scooped himself today, saying that he was planning to make an announcement later. that he's now announcing that he's hoping to put 25% tariffs on goods from the European Union,

suggesting that the EU only exists to cause the U.S. economic headaches of one form or another. He also answered several questions related to the tariffs he's already paused on Canada and Mexico, saying he intends to push those forward on April 2nd. But I think it's important to keep the context here that he views all of these tariff threats as threats, as tools to negotiate around, as we saw when he first delayed the tariffs on Canada and Mexico. And so with all things Trump tariff-related, despite what he said today, we have to stay tuned and see where this ultimately lands as these deadlines approach. Ellison. Garrett Haik, thank you.

President Trump reposting an AI video to Truth Social late last night, showing an over-the-top version of the Gaza rebranded as Trump Gaza, complete with tourist sunbathing on the beach. even a golden statue of Trump. Our team got the immediate reactions from Palestinians as the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas enters its final days. Here's NBC's Matt Bradley from Tel Aviv. For many in the Gaza Strip, Donald Trump's dreamlike vision of the enclave's future looks more like a nightmare.

The president reposted this apparently AI-generated video to his truth social site, appearing to show the president immortalized as a golden statue. you dancing with a belly dancer and sun tanning alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Elon Musk also making an appearance, walking amongst dollar bills, and twice appearing to chow down on hummus. It's all set to upbeat music with lyrics including no more tunnels, no more fear. Trump Gaza is finally here. It's unclear who generated the video, but amidst the horrors of the Gaza Strip, Trump's video landed with a thud. We have lived through hell. 500 days in genocide and displacement and poverty and horrible conditions that even the animals

couldn't handle it. And after that, he's going to control Gaza. No, we're not going to let you. We're not going to accept that. We will fight you as long as we can. You don't know anything about Gaza, because this video is ridiculous. There's nothing related to Gaza. Palestinians in much of the Arab and Muslim world had already angrily rejected Trump's proposal

for the U.S. to take over Gaza when he made it a few weeks ago. I don't want to be cute. I don't want to be a wise guy, but the Riviera of the Middle East, this could be something that could be so magnificent. When asked about the video, a White House spokesperson repeating plans for Gaza's rebuilding, writing in part that it will allow for Palestinians to resettle in new beautiful communities while improving conditions in the region for generations to come. But there are some more imminent concerns for the people of Gaza right now, as phase one of the Israeli Hamas ceasefire finally comes to a close.

The Hamas media office for prisoners saying 620 Palestinian prisoners were released tonight. And the Israeli Prime Minister's office confirming four deceased Israeli hostages were also returned home. It comes as Israelis mourn the loss of the Babas family. Mother Shiri and her two sons, Ariel and Kaffir, killed after being taken hostage by Hamas on October 7. Israeli officials say tens of thousands lined the streets. for a lengthy funeral cortege that traveled almost half the length of Israel today. Ending near the kibbutz where the family was kidnapped. The husband and father of the Babas family, who was just released last month, delivering a tearful

eulogy, saying in part, Shiri, I'm sorry I couldn't protect you all. If only I had known what would happen, I wouldn't have fired. And, Alison, well, tonight's exchange seems to rescue the first phase of this very tenuous truce between Hamas and the Israelis. test is going to be coming after the weekend. There have been no apparent efforts to negotiate a move from the first phase into the second phase, which would see a more permanent peace in the Gaza Strip and eventually the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Like I said, there's been no real movements in that direction, so the rest of this peace treaty is still up in the air.

Ellison? Matt Bradley, thank you. Back here at home to the growing measles outbreak that has now turned deadly. Health officials in Texas say an unvaccinated child has died as more than 120 people have been sickened in that state. Nearly all of those cases, children. NBC's Priscilla Thompson is there on the ground with the details. A fast-moving measles outbreak turning deadly in Texas. Health officials in Lubbitt confirming an unvaccinated school-age child has died. We are now seeing a very serious consequence of what happens when we have measles. in our community. Sending shock waves through West Texas, especially among those like Ben Hamm, whose 18-month-old foster daughter is immunocompromised. If she's around a cold, any type of

sniffles, and she's not protected, she could be in the ICU tonight. Ham earlyed up her second dose of the measles vaccine. As cases in Texas climbed to at least 124, with 18 patients hospitalized, officials say, almost all babies and children who are unvaccinated or awaiting their second dose. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a vaccine skeptic, responding to the outbreak for the first time today. We put out a post on it yesterday, and we're going to continue to follow it. It's not unusual. We have measles outbreaks every year. Dr. Anna Montanez is on the front lines in Lubbock. She says while cases occur annually, she hasn't seen them this widespread. Do we get it in patches every year? Maybe that is true, but it is in areas where we're

where there is no vaccination. There's low vaccination rates, if you will. Measles cases have been reported in eight states, including nine in neighboring New Mexico. Officials have not said they're connected. Experts say those born before 1957 likely have natural immunity because of how widespread the disease was. But those vaccinated between 1957 and 89

before a live virus was used or when only one shot was given might consider a booster. As tonight, parents here, Hope this outbreak will soon be over. And Priscilla Thompson joins us now from Lubbock, Texas. Priscilla, you mentioned there the possibility of a booster. Right now we know this is mostly spreading in children. But for adults who aren't sure or 100% sure,

whether or not they were vaccinated as kids, what should they do? Yeah, Alison, and for adults who may have grandkids and that they want to keep safe who aren't able to get vaccinated yet, they can talk to their doctor. Even if you're not able to find those vaccine records from decades ago or still in touch with that doctor from childhood, your current doctor can do a blood test to determine your immunity. And based on that, they may recommend that you're fine. You don't need anything. They could recommend a booster or they may recommend that you do the two series shots, which occur about a month apart. But talking to your doctor can get the ball rolling on that conversation and what exactly you need to protect yourself and your community. Ellison.

Important reporting. Priscilla Thompson. Thank you. Now to the latest on the Menendez brothers case. California Governor Gavin Newsom ordering a risk assessment should they be released, asking the parole board to determine if they would pose an unreasonable threat to the public. It comes as Newsom weighs a commutation application for the two men convicted of killing their parents back in 1989. The governor posting a video on X today explaining the move. There's no guarantee of outcome here.

My office conducts dozens and dozens of the. these clemency reviews on a consistent basis. But this process simply provides more transparency, which I think is important in this case, as well as provides us more due diligence before I make any determination for clemency. For more on this, let's bring in NBC's Liz Kreutz. Liz, Governor Newsom is saying this is an administrative step, right? Not an indication of how he is leaning. What do we know about his decision-making process as of today? Has he or sources familiar with his thinking, given any indication into which way he's leaning? Hey, Allison. I mean, up until now, he has been really hands off on this case,

really just saying he's going to wait until the district attorney makes his recommendation before jumping in on this case at all. And, you know, it's somewhat of a challenging political move here because it is a little divisive. You're going to have those who staunchly believe that they should stay in prison. They murdered their parents and that they should serve their life sentences without parole. And then, of course, you're going to have those who take a more sympathetic view, think that times have changed around our understanding of sexual abuse and those allegations. They say they acted in self-defense after years of abuse by their father and are going to want them release. So it's a tricky one here. And I do think that this is really an

administrative step right now, but it does show that he is willing to engage on this trial at the moment, which is something that the Menendez brothers family who support the brothers and their attorneys are celebrating the fact that he is now coming forth and calling for this. investigation into them because the family members who want the bout, they say that this is actually where their biggest strength to get the brothers out, that the men have really shown that they have focused on rehabilitation, focused on becoming new, better men over their 35 years in prison. But Liz, commuting this sentence by a commutation by Governor Newsom, that is not going to be the only option for the brothers to leave prison, right? You mentioned the DA, the DA there in

L.A. County did ask a judge to deny their petition requesting a retrial last week. But resentencing, that is still on the table as well, right? Yeah, so there are these three legal paths that they're trying to take to get out of prison. The new trial option that was sort of, we can sort of put that aside. It's the hardest path. The DA opposes that one. So really, we're talking about a clemency being granted by the governor or resentencing. That is what many see is the most likely path for them to potentially get out of prison. there is a hearing for that next week. We expect very soon we will get a recommendation from the new district attorney on whether he supports that resentencing motion. Ultimately, it will come down

to the judge that is overseeing the hearing. But this is where it's important, and this is where these paths start to collide here, is that if the judge does support the resentencing, then it ultimately does go to the parole board and it goes to Governor Newsom to make the ultimate final decision. So at the end of the day, the findings from this risk assessment investigation, whether it's clemency or resentencing are important to the brother's efforts to get out of prison. Liz Kreutz in L.A., thank you. Next tonight, the latest in the case against Adnaud Siyah, the man whose story was the center of the incredibly popular podcast serial.

Syed was in court today for a hearing on reducing his sentence, preventing a possible return to prison. This coming on the same day, his murder conviction was not overturned after Baltimore City prosecutors withdrew a motion to vacate it. NBC nightly news anchor Lester Holtz sat. down with one of those top prosecutors. Adnan Syed in court today, his freedom tenuous. In the latest twist, Ivan Bates, the new Baltimore City State's attorney, declaring that

after an exhaustive review, his office has withdrawn its motion to vacate Syed's conviction for the murder of his high school girlfriend, Heyman Lee, in 1999. That means Syed's conviction will stand. I spoke with Bates exclusively. We took every single piece and took it apart, put it back together. And we're very confident in the jury's decision back in 2000. After 23 years in prison, Syed's conviction was vacated by a judge, and he was freed in 2022, only to have his conviction reinstated months later.

Syed allowed, however, to remain free. He has always maintained his same. innocents. I had absolutely nothing to do with the murder of hay. National interest in the case exploded, in part because of the podcast serial. Was he so hurt that he decided to kill her? 18-year-old Hayman Lee disappeared on January 13th. And an HBO documentary series. Syed's lawyers argue prosecutors failed to turn over evidence favorable to Syed that could have affected the trial's outcome, a so-called Brady violation. We looked at not just the Brady violation, but we looked at all the evidence.

Would you bring this case today based on the evidence you have today? Based on the evidence that we have today, yes, we would. Well, this seems like a little bit of a turnabout, in your opinion. I think back in 2018, you were holding that this case didn't meet the standards for prosecution, meaning that if you wanted to try to go to trial at that point, it wasn't enough. Yes. Well, it is and it is in the sense that, you know, back then we had certain information. We had part of the information there.

But Bates' office in court today supporting another potential path for Syed's permanent freedom, a sentence reduction, allowed under Maryland law called the J.R.A. for certain juvenile offenders. We believe that Mr. Syed has been a model prisoner while he's been in the institution, that he's truly rehabilitated himself. So you would fully support his freedom based on the JRA now? One thousand percent we do. I've come out and said that.

But not on a Brady violation, though. Not on the Brady violation. We're not going to vacate the conviction. Vacating the conviction says it did not happen, that he is not the individual that was committed this crime. Today's hearing, including testimony from the victim's family who opposed Syed's request for relief, making this plea to Judge Jennifer Schiffer. It's my sister, who is the true victim here. and I hope that she will make the right decision of denying the reduction of sentence. Our thanks to Lester for that report.

For more on Adnod Syed's case, let's bring in Rabia Chowdry. She's a family friend of Syed's who wrote a New York Times bestseller about the case and has long advocated for Syed's innocent. Thank you so much for innocence, rather. Thank you so much for joining a top story tonight, Robbie. I should note you are yourself a lawyer, and you were actually the person who brought this case to the attention of the serial podcasters. Did you speak with Adnan after today's hearing? Talk to us about how he felt in court today, and now that he's had a little bit of time

to process it, where his head is at. Yeah, I was at the hearing with him today. Thank you for having me, by the way, and covering this. And I spoke to him not too long ago. You know, he thinks the hearing went as well as it could. And I also believe the same. I think he has a zealous advocate and Erica Souter. She did a fantastic job presenting the key factors important in considering whether or not he deserves to be resentenced under this petition, under the Juvenile Restoration Act. And we are hoping for a result that is just in his favor. Were you surprised by the decision to not vacate his murder? I mean, we heard the prosecutor telling Lester Holt there, we're very confident in the jury's decision that it made back in

2000? I am surprised only because, and I very much appreciate Lester Holt pointing out the fact that Ivan Bate has publicly supported Adnan's innocence, and in fact went on the record publicly and said that if he were in charge, he would drop these charges. I appreciate him playing out the fact that Ivan Bates has changed his position. So it does come as a bit of a surprise. Having said that, you know, this is a political position, and there are things that certain people say when they're campaigning and there's certain things, then people will change their positions

when they're in office. But I will say this in response to the clip that you just showed when Ivan Bates said that, you know, what we knew when I made those statements was partial information. That's actually not accurate. What he's saying today is that we agree with the jury's verdict. Well, the jury's verdict was available in 2000. And so when he made those statements, what he was basing it on was already knowing the jury's verdict. The jury's verdict has not changed. What happened at trial has not changed. His perspective on it has changed. Do you believe Adnan will be granted a reduced sentence under the JRA?

And when you think about that, the fact that it could be vacated under JRA and not something because of a Brady violation, is there still some sort of disappointment from your perspective in Adnan's that it won't be a total change or reversal of what he was convicted of? Look, it is part and parcel of the criminal justice, the way the system works is sometimes people have to take plea deals just to gain their freedom, even if they're innocent. This happens all the time. Adnan would not be exonerated. His conviction would not be vacated if he's granted relief under this. He would just be resentenced to time served. The conviction would still stand. And of course, that's a disappointment. What I have always wanted for 26 years

working on this case is for him to be fully exonerated. And I also don't believe Heyman Lee gets justice until we catch the killer. My question for Ivan Bates and others is, what about all the outstanding forensic evidence that you are failing. You and the Baltimore City Police are failing to source. What about the DNA, the hair found on her body, the fingerprints in her car, none of which belonged to Adnan, none of which belonged to the sole witness that the state's case is based upon. Do you not care who all that forensic evidence belongs to? What about that? Rabia Chowdhry, thank you so much for speaking with us tonight. We really appreciate your time and insights. Thank you.

Still ahead tonight, the scare at D.C.'s Reagan Airport, the flight forced to abort its landing to avoid a collision on the runway. What we know about the second near-miss in just as many days. Plus, remembering actress Michelle Tractonberg, the tributes pouring in for the Harriet the Spy Child Star after her sudden death. And the mission to the moon now underway. The launch, just moments ago, the SpaceX rocket carrying a new robotic moon lander. Stay with us. We're back now with the latest on those skyrocketing egg prices and a new warning from the Department of Agriculture. Tonight, the USDA predicting the cost of eggs could rise by more than 40% this year alone. Right now, the price of eggs is already at a record high.

In January, the average cost of a dozen grade A large eggs was $4.95 nationwide, about double from a year ago. But some parts of the country, including here in New York, seeing prices close to eight or $10 a dozen. The growing bird flu outbreak is to blame. For more on this, we're joined by NBC's Aaron McLaughlin. Aaron, the Trump administration saying, announcing that they have a new strategy to try and combat bird flu and hopefully do something about these egg prices. What do we know? Yeah, that's right. The Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal this morning outlining sort of this five-prong strategy. I believe we have a full-screen sort of outlining the approach.

It's a billion-dollar strategy, up to $500 million dedicated to biosecurity measures. Those are measures that are designed to keep farmers and farms and flocks safe. So any sort of wild birds to prevent those wild birds that may be carrying the bird flu from accessing the flock. Up to $400 million in financial relief for farmers with impacted flocks, exploring the use of vaccines and therapeutics for laying chickens. that's an interesting point because some thought perhaps they were going to maybe announce a vaccine today, but that didn't happen in this op-head, removing regulatory burdens on egg producers, and considering

temporary import options. But, you know, speaking to experts, and they're telling me that this is sort of a vague strategy at this point. They're waiting for more specifics on each of these points. So when you're talking to people who know the industry so well, do they think consumers should expect for prices to get worse before we see some sort of improvement? Well, you know, the USDA dropped that report this very same week that the strategy is being announced saying that they expect egg prices to go up more than 40% this year alone. So this crisis is not going anywhere. It's interesting. One of the points in the strategy is importing eggs, looking at importing options, temporary importing measures. But this expert was telling me that the problem with that is

the bird flu is not isolated to the United States. There's bird flu in other countries inflecting flocks all around the world. So this is a global scramble, if you will, for eggs. So where are they going to get those eggs to import into this country? It's one of the many outstanding questions. Erin McLaughlin, thank you. Now to the sudden death of actor Michelle Tractonberg, family and friends of the 39-year-old, known for her iconic roles on shows like Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, mourning her loss after she was found unresponsive in a New York City apartment this morning.

NBC's Stephanie Gossk on her life and the investigation into her untimely passing. Michelle Big Smile, right? He's wrong, darling. Michelle Tractonberg landed roles on the shows that all the kids were watching. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She was Buffy's sister Dawn. Then on to Gossip Girl. Tractenberg played the manipulative and slightly evil Georgina Sparks. I'm not her spy, you idiot.

I am her. This morning, NYPD officers discovered the 39-year-old actor unresponsive in a Manhattan apartment. According to police, she was pronounced dead at the scene, and criminality is not suspected. Start. Tractonburg got her start very young. Yeah, I'll have their friends too. But it was her role as Harriet the Spy at just 10 years old that created a generation of fans. What are you writing?

No. I'm going to read them? Can you read this? She starred alongside Rosie O'Donnell. Did you enjoy making the movie? Yes, I love making the movie. Today, O'Donnell called her death heartbreaking, adding, I loved her very much. She struggled the last few years.

I wish I could have helped. Police say a medical examiner is determining the cause of death, while recent photos on social media had some fans concerned for her health. At one point, Tractenberg responding, Fun fact, this is my face, not malnutrition, no problems. Today, the creators of Gossip Girl remembered her talent, turning Georgina Sparks into an iconic fan favorite, adding she was also funny and kind, a delight to have on set.

Cute. You think this was about. you. Tractenberg was a child actor whose fans grew up with her and tonight are left stunned by her sudden death. Stephanie Gosk, NBC News. And some breaking news to bring you. Just moments ago, that new robotic moon lander launching into space. The spacecraft known as Athena marking the second lunar mission for intuitive machines. That's a company that made history a year ago by becoming the first private company to successfully land on the moon's surface. But that lander wound up tipping over on its side. So this time, they were hoping to stick the landing.

For more on the launch, NBC's Marissa Parra joins us now. Marissa, how is it looking so far? And what do we know about Athena's mission? Hey, Ellison. So everything is looking nominal, which is space world talk for going according to plan. So we now have Athena on the way to the moon. And the main mission of Athena is to search for ice water. And every aspect of Athena's design is for that mission. So you'll look at the design here. You'll see it's about 15 feet tall built by the Texas based company intuitive machines. It's about the size of a giraffe, by the way. And it's equipped to have tools on board to drill beneath the surface of the moon. So it's headed towards the moon South Pole. In fact, if everything goes according to plan, this is going to land the

closest to the Moon South Pole than we have ever seen before. It's going to land on a massive flat mountain. And then it has these drilling tools to dig beneath the surface in search for water. And this is not easy because the South Pole is not only largely uncharted territory, but there are also massively deep craters. It's very difficult to navigate. So there was a lot of engineering that went into trying to make this a success. But the location in search for ice water is a critical one. They want to not just detect it, but measure it if it does exist. And remember, scientists are hoping that this is going to be a critical resource, not just for the possibility of a lunar habitat, but they also are looking to use ice water as possibly a gas station.

So this could be used for rocket fuel to send people not just around the solar system. We're talking about places like Mars, Ellison. So it's supposed to land in about a week on either the sixth or seventh, hopefully right side up this time. And by the way, I'll point out there are currently three lunar landers on their way to the moon as we speak, Alison. One of them set to land this weekend. So just an incredible feat happening as we speak. All right. We'll check back with you in about a week.

Marissa Parra. Thank you. when we come back the shocking road rage incident caught on camera a man wielding an axe shattering the windshield and windows of another car the moments leading up to that scary scene back now with top stories news feeds starting with another airport near miss and this one at Reagan National Airport. FAA officials say an American Airlines flight from Boston had to abort its landing to avoid colliding with another plane leaving from the same runway. That pilot quickly did a go-around before safely landing shortly after. No one was hurt, but this happened less than a month after that mid-air collision at Reagan that killed 67 people. A chilling road rage incident

caught on camera in Tennessee. New video shows a man swinging an axe at another car in Memphis, smashing the windshield and windows. The driver of that car and his girlfriend stayed inside the car and they were not hurt. Police say the man was angry after he was accidentally rear-ended. He fled the scene and police are still trying to find him. And a consumer alert, there's a nationwide recall for a lemonade product that may contain a cancer-length chemical. Oak Cliff Beverage Works recalling 16,000 units of its beverage-based lemonade because Yellow 5 was not listed under the ingredients. Research suggests the synthetic dye can lead to health issues, including DNA damage and even cancer, but the risk is low.

The recall impacts all three and five gallons of the product. Turning now to the latest in the murder of those four Idaho college students. The legal team for the suspect, Ryan Koberger, expect to file a new motion that their client should not be eligible for the death penalty because of autism. But it's unclear if Koberger has even been diagnosed or even tested for autism spectrum disorder. Let's bring in NBC News legal analyst Angela Senadella. So Angela, at first, I want to start with sort of this idea that has only recently been floated by the defense, the idea of possibly Brian Coburger having autism or being on the autism spectrum.

Is that something that could have an impact on this case? And in terms of whether or not he'd been tested, what would they need to have that be considered something that could be relevant in court? Okay. So first of all, any sort of mental disorder or mental illness could certainly be a mitigating factor in terms of sentencing and likely sentencing only, right? So the judge could consider that when they're deciding whether or not to, you know, punish a defendant in a certain way if that defendant couldn't understand either the context of the crime or cope with the punishment

itself. But what I suspect his team is doing here is going to attempt to allude to a 2002 Supreme Court case where the Supreme Court ruled that it is a cruel and unusual punishment for any severely mentally disabled individual. to be considered eligible for the capital punishment. And the idea there is that they don't have the moral culpability, they can't maybe understand it. And usually that IQ cutoff, though, is that of 70. And it's in the same way that, for example, juveniles cannot be eligible for the death penalty.

But there is a big difference between something like autism, which is really different from moral culpability and, for example, extreme mental disability. So I don't think this argument is going to go very far. Certainly, he would need a real diagnosis and a psychiatric testimony in order to move forward at all. Another thing that came up was discussion around using IgG evidence, which is basically using genetic or like the family tree genealogy websites, right, to try to link DNA to a suspect. The judge and the prosecution's team actually went back and forth on this where they talked about why it wasn't initially put in some court documents. The judge saying, though, that evidence can stay, right? of a deal is that for the defense that they were not able to suppress that of it?

That is a make or break big deal. It is really everything, because what the defense was trying to argue is that because the search itself was unconstitutional, that was a violation of the defendant's privacy, that everything then related to that genetic genealogy search had to have been excluded. And because it doesn't appear there was really any other lead beyond this genetic tree that linked the sheath to his family member, that had all of that been excluded, it would have changed the game for Kobaker. But because it is all included and considered admissible at this point, well, really, all signs point to him.

All right. Angelus and Adela, thank you. Now to the firestorm at one of America's biggest newspapers. The Washington Post, opinion editor, is stepping down after the post owner, billionaire Jeff Bezos, ordered the opinion section to stop printing specific views. Bezos announcing on X, he's told the paper, the opinion pages will now be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars,

personal liberties and free markets. Bezos said any views opposed to those pillars will be left to other papers to publish. The move drawing swift backlash from current and former post employees. The paper's legendary retired executive editor, Marty Barron, calling Bezos' decision Craven, saying he is basically fearful of Trump. And the post-associate editor, David Moranis, posted today on Blue Sky. The old Washington Post is gone. I'll never write for it again as long as he's the owner. For more on what this means for the paper and the press, I want to bring in David Fulkin Flick, media correspondent for NPR News. David, thank you so much for joining us tonight. Let's just start with Jeff Bezos specifically. We saw that post on X. Has he gone into any

additional details about the reasoning behind this decision? Well, he said in the age of the internet, you can get opposing views anywhere, and he wanted to focus and sharpen what the post offers readers and, in his words, to present them with clarity about where the paper stands. He thinks that this is a form of, in the words of his publisher, Will Lewis, transparency, and that it will be welcome. He's certainly entitled to do that. Let's make very clear it is absolutely the prerogative of an owner or a publisher. to determine the editorial outlook and, you know, more broadly, the opinion flavors presented in their pages. By the same token, you know, there's strong belief among post journalists and people in journalism

more broadly, by and large, that a paper as important as the Post, as storied as the Post, that has played such a role in American journalism from the Pentagon Papers to Watergate to most recently covering with such vigor, President Trump's first term in office, that it has an obligation to do more than look at simply free markets and personal liberties, but in question of holding power to account. And they felt that that was sorely missing from Jeff Bezos's presentation. When you mentioned those post journalists and the strong belief among some of them, when you're speaking with your sources inside of the Washington Post, maybe even beyond, what is the reaction? Is it different when it comes to the journalists that work for the Post

on the news side versus the opinion side? Or are they all frustrated by this? Well, there's slight disparities and distinctions here. I would say folks on the Post side took pains today publicly and privately to point out that, in fact, Bezos has not said anything that would encroach upon the independence of the newsroom and the news coverage. And they have been aggressive since Trump started his second term in office in January. You know, Matt Murray, who's the executive editor, responded to concerns from some of his most senior news editors about this as a meeting to say, hey, I've heard nothing that would indicate Bezos intends to interfere. And then this afternoon, he put out a memo to the entire newsroom, saying much the same that they would continue to report without fear or favor. But even those news side journalists, and there is a wall, despite what some viewers may believe, that separates news and opinion staves. Even the news side journalists see this as a way in which Bezos is pulling in the independence of the news pages.

And let's put it in the context here, of course. Bezos was an extraordinary owner during Trump's first term insulating the paper, but at a cost to his business interests. Bezos has billions of dollars worth of interest through Amazon and through Blue Origin, his base company with the federal government, now controlled, of course, by President Trump with a tight leash, I would argue. His, you know, his properties are also highly regulated in a variety of ways by federal bodies. And, you know, he's taken pains to show, to essentially accommodate Trump's return to power. He did so by killing an endorsement of Trump's Democratic challenger Kamala Harris, that cost him 300,000 digital subscribers. They canceled in just the 10 days subsequent between the announcement of that cancellation of the endorsement and election night. Similarly, he personally contributed a million dollars towards Trump's inauguration fund.

He flew with his fiance, Lauren Sanchez, to Mara Lago to dine with the Trump's in a private, intimate dinner. And he sat on the dais of the inauguration day behind President Trump, a raid with several other of the nation's leading tech titans as a way of showing a kind of affirmation of Trump as president. This has not gone unnoticed in his newsroom or on the editorial side. The opinion page editor argued against this, saying that this was not delivering on the Post's brand promise of holding the powerful to account, particularly the most powerful in government. And, you know, there are a lot of people who are up in arms and are confused. We don't know what this means for the scores of editorial writers, opinion writers, columnists,

and contributing writers who currently work for the Post. NPR's David Fulkin Flick, thank you. Just ahead, the spring break down. The new restrictions in cities like Miami to curtail violence at popular beach destinations. But do the measures hurt businesses who rely on that annual surge in sales? We'll explain. Turning now to Top Story's Global Watch, starting with the deadly charter bus accident in Thailand. Officials say 18 people were killed and dozens more injured after the bus tipped over during an overnight journey just east of Bangkok. Safety is a persistent problem in Thailand, with the World Health Organization ranking at 9th out of 175 member countries for roadway deaths.

Thailand's Department of Land Transport says they will investigate the crash. German police on alert after the Islamic State called for attacks against annual carnival celebrations. Officials say more than 1,400 officers will be deployed in cities like Cologne, where celebrations are particularly popular. Other security services like bag checks and personal searches will also be enforced. The move follows a string of high-profile attacks connected to Islamic extremists in the lead-up to Germany's recent elections. And an update on Chile's national power outage. Government officials saying more than 94% of the country's electricity has now been restored to residents seven hours after that shocking blackout.

The power outage affected nearly the entire country hitting Chile's massive mining industry and also grinding public transportation to a halt. Chile's electric grid operator says an investigation, into the cause is now underway. And back here at home, authorities in Florida are preparing for crowds of spring breakers expected to flock to its beaches starting this weekend. But as Miami Beach urges troublemakers to stay away and Fort Lauderdale puts new security measures in place, some business owners say they are already feeling the squeeze. NBC news correspondent Maya Eagland has this story.

As Miami Beach officials urge rowdy spring breakers to stay away again this year. Miami goes, did you like that? That's crazy. But don't worry, Broward County's right here. Nearby Fort Lauderdale says its beaches are open for business. Fort Lauderdale, we open our doors to everybody. We welcome all tourists, and we're very happy to be able to host spring break 2025 again this year. But officials warning partygoers to follow the rules, which include no alcohol, tents, tables, or camping on the beach. The city increasing police presence and adding a 5.30 p.m. daily beach sweep.

No fighting. We're all friends here. We all just want to enjoy the break. Don't even think about running from us. Did y'all forget we have helicopters? Both Fort Lauderdale and Miami responding to a string of chaotic post-COVID spring breaks. Huge crowds flowing into both beaches along with multiple Miami shootings in 2023, alarming local officials. We're re-implementing the $100 parking rate in the entertainment district for non-residents, doubling the towing fees to over $500. And of course, proactively announcing the endorsement of a current. if it were needed. Miami Beach also closing many of their parking garages, setting up DUI checkpoints,

suspending scooter and golf cart rentals, and closing sidewalk seating on Ocean Drive. But all of this, also having an impact on some small businesses. It's terrible. I feel very badly for my staff each day. David Wallach, who started the Miami Beach mainstay mangoes in the 1990s, says officials have failed to draw in new crowds. All of a sudden, they're going to enforce the laws. well, that's a wonderful thing. But our customers, the really good customers, are not all kids. And all of our good customers have been really chased away as well. Leaving him and his staff on edge. And you give me more of a sense of how severe the profit margin loss was in the last two summers.

Zero profit and into the red. That's how far. We're talking businesses down 30 to 40 percent. And the staff. The scary thing is, we're still dropping. But even with the pushback from business owners like Wallach, the mayor has stood behind the restrictions. Arrests were down last year. Hotel Occamcy was up. It tells you a lot. It was crowded. Our restaurants and hotels were thriving. Maya Eglon, NBC News. Coming up, our sit down with the power couple behind Oscar Frontrunner, The Brutalist.

Their seven-year journey to create the award-winning film starring actor Adrian Brody and how they pulled it all off with a modest budget. And finally, tonight, the Oscars just days away now. Among the nominees for Best Picture, The Brutalists, the epic set in the aftermath of the Holocaust, starring Adrian Brody and Felicity Jones, and the creative duo behind the film, a real-life couple. NBC's Chloe Malas sat down with them to talk about the challenges and triumphs on their way to Hollywood's biggest night. People here, they do not want us here. One of the films leading the way in nominations at this year's Academy Awards The Brutalist, which tells the story of Holocaust survivors looking to rebuild their lives in America.

I'm sort of fascinated by the way in which this period of 1950s Americana is something that's really romanticized. Because, of course, it was a very, very painful period in world history. The film's director is first-time nominee Brady Corbe. He got his start in front of the camera as a child actor in films like 13. started the new job, okay. Corbe, an only child and raised by a single mother, didn't go to film school. He even dropped out of high school. I wasn't ever interested in acting. I think it's the reason I eventually quit. It was just that I was a cinephal from a young age. I did not go to film school at all. I did grow up on film sets. And so, of course, there's probably no better

education than that. What does she think of this moment? I think she's very, very touched by it. Corbe is sitting down with NBC News at the Breuer Building in New York, a fitting location given its brutalist style of architecture, something Corbe has been fascinated by for years. I felt that brutalism, which is a style of architecture that came about in the early 1950s, I felt a sort of link between post-war psychology and these brutalist monuments, which I started reading a lot about. But Corbe is only one half of the creative duo behind the brutalist. Right by his side, his co-writer and Lerner, life partner, Mona Fastfold. Brady likes to write at night, and I write early in the morning, and then we write together in the middle of the day. So that's sort of how we divide it up.

The duo worked on the film for seven years, and one of the most difficult parts, financing. Universal Pictures International, owned by our parent company, has some distribution rights. What would you say to those that did pass on funding the movie? If I were in their position, I probably would have passed too. It was following a global pandemic. People were not going to the movies. And I think that people, you know, were operating from a place of fear. Right by their side, the couple's 10-year-old daughter Ada moved to tears when her dad won best director at the Golden Globes.

I love you so much, Ada, James. She's our partner in crime. She's on these film sets and she's, you know, with us every step of the way. It's been a big part of her entire life this film. I mean, she's 10 and a half years old. So it's, you know, been some, it's been in the house since she was three and a half. The family now gearing up for the pinnacle moment, the Oscars. I really do think that we feel we've already won.

And when it's all over, they'll go back to being mom and dad. That's our life, though. You know, you just got to go home and, you know, pack lunch and make dinner. And then, you know, but we also were working. We're cutting another movie. So the moment we're out of doing these, you know, fun things where we get to talk to. interesting people like you, then we go back into a darker room and keep on trying to make another movie. Chloe Malas, NBC News. Thanks so much for watching Top Story. I'm Ellison Barber in New York

for Tom Yamis. Stay right there. More news is on the way.