Top Story with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Episode Date: March 26, 2026

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

Breaking tonight the new warning from the head of the TSA that airports may need to close if the funding crisis isn't resolved soon. The agency's leaders saying these are the worst TSA lines in history. More hours long waits today as the deal on Capitol Hill to resolve it falls apart. Is there at any end in sight? Plus, we'll speak with a couple both TSA workers struggling to make ends meet. Also breaking right now the mangled wreckage of the plane at LaGuardia just removed from the run. way and the fire truck turned upright. Savannah's gut-wrenching first interview since her mom's abduction, her powerful words about the agony she and her family are facing, describing how she wakes

up every night imagining her mother's terror. Her plea to the suspect tonight. New explosions across the Middle East as Iran appears to reject President Trump's 15-point plan to end the war and is the president's new trip to China a clue on the war's timeline. Bizarre kidnapping arrest the mother accused of abducted an 11-year-old who she says bullied her child, how she's defending her actions. Robot takeover, a moment we've never seen before, a humanoid robot walking side by side with the First Lady at the White House, plus an update on the robot Sprout we introduced you to right here on Top Story. And Pontoon rescue nearly a dozen people trapped after their boat flipped off the coast of Florida, how deputies pulled them to safety. Plus, a second landmark verdict

today, meta and YouTube found liable for getting children addicted to their apps. Could it open up the floodgates for other cases? Top story starts right now. And good evening tonight, no relief in sight for flyers waiting in the longest airport security lines in history. Congress failing to reach a deal to end the partial government shutdown as the head of the TSA warns some airports could be forced to close if this doesn't end soon. Desperate travelers, you see them all here stuck in these winding lines like this,

at LaGuardia Airport. The lines in Atlanta, the nation's busiest airport, starting early in the morning and stretching out the doors. And in Houston, you see it here, some people waiting more than four hours only to miss their flights. Those crowds are result of the partial government shutdown now in its 40th day. TSA agents, crucial to the travel system missing multiple paychecks, causing sick calls to skyrocket. 11% of TSA workers right now nationwide didn't show up to work yesterday, much higher than the typical 2%. Now, some officers taking on second or third jobs to meet ends meet, sleeping in their cars, even selling plasma. Later in the broadcast, we're going to speak to a couple who both work for the TSA. They say they're dipping into their savings and driving

for Doordash to provide for their two young sons. All of this as lawmakers are still at an impasse over DHS funding with no progress in sight and the peak of spring break travel just around the corner. Ryan Nobles is tracking it all and leads us off from Capitol Hill. Tonight, TSA saying travelers are facing the worst security lines in the agency's history. Massive backups from Houston to New York to Atlanta. And warning, small airports might have to close. We are being forced to consolidate lanes and may have to close smaller airports if we do not have enough officers. And now the gridlock stretching to Capitol Hill, with lawmakers still at an impasse.

over restoring funding for the Department of Homeland Security to get TSA officers paid and back to work as we enter the height of the spring break travel season. I'd vote to open up TSA right now. I mean, I don't care how we'd do this. One at a time, five at a time. I don't care. We need to, I didn't shut them out. We need to get them reopened. Republicans have offered a plan to restore the vast majority of the department's budget, including TSA, and offered to put off funding for ICE immigration enforcement for later negotiations. But Democrats saying no, without, changes at ICE like banning masks. What is it that you want to see in these negotiations? I would like to see the reforms to ICE that have been discussed. Tonight, Democrats making a counteroffer that would restore funding while making changes at ICE. But Republicans have already rejected their proposal. As 40 days into the shutdown, the chaos is growing. NBC's Priscilla Thompson is in Houston. Here at Bush Intercontinental, DHS is helping with crowd control. There are

only two terminals with general security checkpoints open here. Some passengers moving between them, hoping for shorter lines and still finding an hours-long wait. How early did you arrive? We got here about 10 o'clock? Oh, it's about 9.45 for a 2 o'clock flight. More than 11% of TSA workers called out yesterday. The average is 2%. Ryan, let's go back to your reporting from Capitol Hill.

We're seeing more signs that there's no hope in sight that this is going to end anytime soon. Tom, they have made quite a bit of progress. In fact, if this were a football analogy, they're probably on the half yard line before getting into the end zone. But it is that final half yard that is always the most difficult in these negotiations. Democrats are very much entrenched in their position that they're not going to vote for any funding for the Department of Homeland Security if it involves anything related to ICE. And Republicans have put a plant on the table that would pull out just ICE enforcement to allow for negotiations for reforms down the road. But that's just not enough. for Democrats right now. Democrats offered up a counterproposal. Republicans said it was nothing new, and that means that Republicans don't have anything to offer back. So it shows that they are very entrenched at this stage of the negotiations. And with that looming two-week congressional recess on the horizon, there is a concern that this could drag on for quite some time, Tom. Yep, and Senator Holly right there behind you, still answering questions about all this. All right, Ryan, we thank you. We're also following breaking news after that deadly crash at LaGuardia Airport.

Crews just removing the wreckage off that air Canada jet from the runway. The collision with a fire truck left both pilots dead and dozens of others injure. Sam Brock once again live for us from LaGuardia. Sam, we look behind you there. We do not see that plane or that truck anymore and all those flashing lights. It is a complete reversal, Tom, from the last time we had a conversation on air 24 hours ago. You look over my shoulder. The plane is gone.

You mentioned all these flashing lights beyond this vantage point. The truck is still actually there. those lights are largely crews that are out there right now sweeping up some of this debris, because you can only imagine if you had metal or glass or anything of that nature that gets into the engine of an airplane, how dangerous that would be. And it does speak to the fact that there is an imperative right now to try to reopen fully. LaGuardia Airport. We know one of the runways is open. The other one remains closed. What you're looking at right now is video from earlier today, really only a couple of hours ago, where crews were pulling that aircraft, the Air Canada aircraft,

that crashed into a fire truck out of this horrific scene and bringing it to a nearby hangar. Tom, according to Air Canada, as soon as it's secured in that hangar, which presumably at this point, it likely is. They are going to begin the process of reuniting passengers with their bags and with their belonging. So all of that is huge. And we also would add that the NTSB still has access

to the parts of the plane and to the plane itself. This doesn't conclude the physical portion of the investigation. It just means now that travelers here that have seen hundreds of flight cancellations at LaGuardia, hopefully we'll have full capacity here in the next couple of days. Yeah, and then while we have you here, are we learning anything more from the NTSB about the actual investigation? I know they gave a lot of information yesterday. So the NTSB, as far as we know, is conducting those interviews right now with the two controllers that were in the tower,

as well as the two Port Authority officers that were responding and, of course, nearly died themselves, suffered all those broken bones. They're going to want to find out whether or not they actually heard the warning that came across. and what sort of jobs and responsibilities was there an oversaturation of the controllers in the cab? That's all going to come to the fore, but right now the NTSB hasn't provided much information about what they've actually learned. They may wait for the conclusion of the investigation. I would add just one other thing. Secretary Duffy did tell our station NBC Dallas earlier today that there was a recommendation about a year ago

to put those ADSB transponders in trucks like that one, and it clearly didn't happen in this case. He says, we may need to consider mandating a time. quote, in his words, it would make a lot of sense. Back to you. All right, Sam, Brock, for us, Sam, we thank you. United President Trump's 15-point proposal to end the war with Iran, reportedly rejecting that plan Iran has, as tonight we're getting a new clue about how long U.S. airstrikes could last. Gabe Gutierrez is at the White House. Tonight, with the war escalating across the Middle East, amid new attacks in Kuwait, Iraq, and Israel,

Iran has rejected the latest U.S. peace plan, according to Iranian state television. Have these talks hit a dead end? They have not. Talks continue. They are productive. Late today, Iran's foreign minister claimed there were no official talks. Still, NBC News has learned the Trump administration sent Iranian officials a 15-point plan to end the war through Pakistani intermediaries, according to two regional sources and a U.S. official.

They're not going to have a nuclear weapon. That's number one. That's number one, two, and three. Today, Iranian state television, citing an unnamed senior official, said Iran had responded negatively to the proposal and detailed five demands to end the war, including a halt to aggression and assassinations by the U.S. and Israel, plus complete control over the Strait of Hormuz. The White House warning Iran would be hit harder than before if there's no deal.

President Trump, Dutt is not bluff, and he is prepared to unleash hell. Iran should not miscalculate again. Also, after previously rescheduling his Beijing meeting with China's President Xi Jinping, President Trump today announcing a new date, May 14th and 15th. The White House was pressed on whether that's a signal for when the war might end. Again, as I've said, we've always estimated approximately four to six weeks, so you could do the math on that. As he considers his next move, three current and a former U.S. official tell NBC News that the military now compiles a daily highlight reel for the president that shows a video montage of the most successful strikes on Iranian

targets over the previous 48 hours. The officials say he's also updated about the war through conversations with top military and intelligence advisors. All right. With that, Gabe joins us now. Gabe, I know you have some new reporting about Iran reacting to all of this. Yes, Tom, the Iranian foreign minister is now acknowledging that Iran has received messages from the U.S. through intermediaries, but that he does not consider that a formal negotiation. Meanwhile, tomorrow here at the White House, President Trump is set to hold his second cabinet meeting of the year, Tom. Okay, Gabe Gutierrez, we thank you for that.

I want to bring in our Iran and military experts now. Colonel Steve Warren is an NBC News military analyst and a good friend of top story, and Human Majj is an Iranian-American writer and NBC News contributor. Human, I'm going to start with you right now. The White House says talks are productive. Iran's foreign minister denied that talks are even happening. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is sending troops, even as the Speaker of the House says, the military operation is almost over.

I mean, there are a lot of mixed signals here. What can you read from all those contradictions? Well, it's hard to say. I mean, it's clear that there aren't any talks. I mean, I think the foreign minister is correct in this case. In order to have talks, you've got to be talking to someone. And even though President Trump has said that the Iranian have reached out and they've called me and they've sent this prize and this present to the White House.

It's been received. It's worth a lot of money. There's no indication that any such thing has really happened. So we have to be a little skeptical about all of that. And I think in terms of talks, well, there's talks about talks. That's what it's all about. I wouldn't even call it talks. I would say that there are messages about talks.

And so far, there haven't been any talks. So, you know, you'd be forgiven for being completely. completely confused as to where this is all going, especially with U.S. troops now being sent to the region, either as a threat to Iran or if they're indeed going to be used for a ground invasion or to take over or take over an island. Colonel, today, six of Iran's neighbors in the Gulf there said Iran's actions are undermining security in the region. We saw this so rapidly become a regional war. So the longer this goes on, do you think the longer the regional war continues? Or does this become a sort of one-on-two Iran versus Israel and the U.S.? Yeah, I think, Tom, that's the exact right way to think about this, is how is it going to expand? And I think the Iranians

want this to remain a regional war. The Iranian, their strategy appears to be sort of two-prong. Number one, try to increase the economic pressure across the West and really around the world. And then number two, pressure the other Gulf nations into becoming sick of this war, and they may in turn pressure the president of the United States. Huma, I do want to ask you, you know, there's this timeline that the White House has put forward four to six weeks. There's now this trip in China, which some say may signal that's when the president may want to wrap this up. We don't know. The Iranians have been at this sort of for decades, maybe not living in these types of miserable conditions.

But do you think the Iranians are going to try to play a long game here? No, absolutely. I mean, they've said they are going to. They definitely have kept some of their more accurate missiles to use now. As we've seen, the hit rate has gone up from a less than 10% hit rate to over 20%. So they are being cautious in how they're proceeding. They expect it to be a long war. They're prepared for it to be a long war.

They've prepared ever since the June war in 2025 for such a war, and they've executed the war in the way that they believe they have the upper hand right now. The upper hand in the sense that they have been able to control the strait of hormones, even if they haven't closed it officially, they are controlling the strait of hormones, which is where 20% of the world's petroleum products flow through. Colonel, what needs to... Yeah, no, I hear you want... Colonel, what needs to happen for the U.S. to sort of claim

a victory. Is it militarily possible for them to take the strait of Hormuz in a manner where U.S. troops aren't involved? You can't take the straight without putting troops in the strait. I don't think you can. You can put naval vessels in there, but the threat will remain. The way the strait opens is by convincing the commercial mariners that it's safe. And I believe the commercial mariners will only feel safe, you know, if they understand that friendly forces control both sides of that straight. Even then, it's going to be a tough hill to climb. Yeah, and I don't think we're anywhere closer to that happening. Colonel Human always great to talk to you. Thank you. Back here at home, we had a huge landmark ruling in Los Angeles with massive implications for social media companies.

A jury ruling meta and YouTube were deliberately addictive to a minor. NBC's Laura Jared explains. Oh my God. Families crying tears of joy outside a Los Angeles courthouse today, after a jury returned a historic verdict against tech giants, meta, and YouTube. Big Tech, your gig is over. In a first of its kind case surrounding the question, are social media platforms dangerous for minors? The jury finding meta, the parent company of Instagram, and YouTube negligent in designing their platforms to be addictive. A now 20-year-old woman who says she developed depression and anxiety from using social media as a kid, awarded $6 million in damages. Parents and attorneys celebrating the landmark win.

We've sent a message with this that you will be held accountable for the features. Internal company records on full display over the course of this five-week trial, some suggesting Instagram wanted to maximize the time kids spend on the app. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told the jury the company's goals changed over time, emphasizing its newer safety features for teens. But grieving parents who say they lost children to the dark side of social media huddled over a phone watching today's verdict come in. For many, this trial has served as a referendum on what they see as the dangerous and addictive features of these platforms. We've been screaming on the top of roofs about for years.

YouTube owner Google saying this case misunderstands YouTube and that the platform is not a social media site. Meta saying tonight, teen mental health is for. profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app. Both companies now vowing to appeal. It all comes on the heels of another verdict meta says it will appeal. A New Mexico jury awarding the state $375 million on Tuesday against the company for creating a breeding ground for child sex predators. Okay, Laura Jarrett joins us now live in studio. Laura, I want to go back to that moment in your report where we saw those mothers huddled around the phone. And this was about a single victim, right? But there are so many families out there that are looking for justice as well.

Some of these mothers that you're watching, Tom, are people who have active lawsuits against meta, against other companies. And that's why this case was so important. Because essentially, it served as the playbook, as the test case, if you will, for other people to be able to do this successfully. Because up until now, this has never been done before. Yeah. And then I know you just got off the phone with a lawyer for the victim in this case. And he was telling you the biggest piece of evidence he thought in his mind that swayed the jury here? Yeah, I asked him, What do you think it was? Was it Zuckerberg coming in person?

Was it his affect? What was it? And he actually thinks it's the whistleblowers, the in-company representatives who were able to take the jury inside META and say, this was not an accident, this was done deliberately, this was done on purpose,

to make it addictive to teens. Okay. Laura Jarrett, breaking it down for us. Thank you. Now to the dramatic body camp footage showing the moments after a woman says her husband tried to kill her while on a hike in Hawaii. Steve Patterson was in court in Honolulu again

today in that attempted murder trial and a warning the video you're about to see is disturbing. This is the moment. A responding officer arrives to the grisly aftermath of a cliffside attack and sees Ariel Koenig, appearing to struggle to walk. Two nurses hiking that day help her. Police body cam video playing out in front of the jury for the first time. Prosecutors say it's another key piece of evidence supporting their case that a Maui doctor tried to kill his wife. The video shows Ariel being treated her head bandaged. Prosecutors say Dr. Gerhard Koenig tried to push his wife off a cliff before striking her several times with a rock as she fought for her life.

Ariel taking the stand yesterday. We had this moment of like, it seems like he takes a deep breath and then he just starts hitting my face and my head with a rock. But the defense argues she started the scuffle, the volatile end to a faltering marriage, what they describe as a mom. months-long inappropriate relationship with a colleague. She came after him, started kicking, punching. They end up on the ground. The evidence will show area of conning says many untrue things about what happened. And she did so, you will see, to get the upper hand in the coming divorce and custody case.

An eyewitness recounting the attack. When you first got there, did you see the man doing anything? Yes, he was hitting her with a rock. Wow. Steve Patterson joins us tonight again from outside that court in Honolulu. Steve, who else took the stand today and what else can we expect in the week ahead? Tom, it was a litany of expert witness testimony. Of course, that Honolulu police colonel with the body cam video,

but also evidence investigators who stayed on scene for hours following the aftermath of that attack. We are hearing, though, from a source who says that Koenig himself may take the stand as early as next week. Tom. Okay, we'll have to wait and see if that happens. Steve Patterson first. Steve, thank you. For more on today's testimony, I want to bring in NBC News legal analyst, Misty Maris. Missy, we saw those images. We were talking about this yesterday. Today, those jurors actually saw the video. How effective is that going to be for the prosecution in this case?

Yeah, it's huge because it's showing the aftermath that it's going into the prosecution's case and lining up with the testimony of Ariel. And remember, they have to prove that this was an intentional attempt to kill. So that body cam footage is critical to the jury. You know, the defense is trying to paint her as the aggressor here, the one who started the fight and that she was having this, you know, elicit affair. She says it was just a texting relationship. Regardless, I mean, you look at these pictures and I mean, clearly she was beaten by something. Right. And so they're saying self-defense. Koenig admits that he did hit her because she was the first to strike and he responded. But that's why you hear in the cross-examination, keep listening for it. The defense is trying to undercut the severity of the injuries to fight. fit that narrative. And we just heard that he may testify. Now, Tom, we know it is risky to take the stand. But remember, when you assert a self-defense claim, you have the burden to show that you acted reasonably under the circumstances proportionately to the threat. So the only person

who could say that is conning. So will he take the stand? We'll see. That could be part of the defense strategy. What did you think of that last witness that we just heard on the stand there? Steve's report? Very, very effective and really, really good for the prosecution. Okay. We'll see what happens tomorrow and the days ahead. Misty, thank you. We're going to be back in a moment here on Top Story with our beloved colleague and our good friend Savannah, sitting down for her first interview since her mother was abducted, that emotional and heartbreaking conversation. Plus, disturbing allegations out of Utah. This is a wild one. A woman accused of snatching a young boy and forcing him to apologize to her daughter for supposedly bullying her. We'll explain.

And the dramatic rescue caught on camera, people left stranded in the ocean when their pontooned boat suddenly flipped how they were pulled the safety ahead on top story. We're back tonight with the latest in the search for Nancy Guthrie, our beloved friend and colleague, Savannah, sitting down for her first interview since her mother's disappearance 53 days ago. She describes the agony and the heartache and once again pleads for any help in finding her. Here's NBC's Liz Croix. Tonight, an anguish Savannah opening up in her first interview nearly eight weeks since her mother Nancy's shocking abduction.

Someone needs to do the right thing. We are in agony. We are in agony. It is unbearable. And to think of what she went through. I wake up every night in the middle of the night, every night, and in the darkness. I imagine her terror.

And it is unthinkable. but those thoughts demand to be thought. And I will not hide my face. But she needs to come home now. This, just a portion of Savannah's heart-wrenching conversation with her former Today's show co-ancher, Hoda Koppi. There is a desperation and also a steelyness about Savannah. I mean, she's hoping that somebody, whoever this person is, will see something and say something. Hoda says Savannah told her she believes God is holding her hand, and that even through this nightmare, she's determined not to let anyone steal her joy.

I was sort of marveling that she was able to sit there with an outfit on, have a conversation, and also have just direct thoughts about what she sees going forward. And Tom Hottis is in the interview. Savannah also addresses the latest in the investigation. A reminder that if you know anything, you can contact the FBI tip line, 1,800. call FBI. Tom. And please call the FBI. If you have any information, you can see much more of Savannah's interview

with Hoda tomorrow on today, on NBC, and right here on Top Story as well. Still to come tonight, the big change that could be coming to the Postal Service, why the war with Iran might soon impact the cost of shipping your packages. Plus, Stephen Colbert's second act,

the apparent dream gig for the late-night host after he signs off at CBS. We'll tell you about it. Stay with us. We're back now with the chaos at airports across the country, scenes like this at security checkpoints, from Houston to New York to Atlanta, as TSA agents have now been working without pay for more than a month due to the partial government shutdown. The reason staffing has been such a challenge, thousands of officers

are calling out sick, taking up second and third jobs to make ends meet, and some of the nation's busiest airports seem call out rates at 20, 30, even 40 percent. Joining me now is a couple that is feeling the pain of the shutdown firsthand. Oksana and Darren Kelly have worked at TSA agents for a decade. They're part of the group of agents still showing up to work despite not getting paid at Orlando International Airport. I thank you for being here, and I'm sorry for what you guys are going through. First and foremost, how are you guys holding up?

Thank you so much for having us, Tom. I guess we're doing as good as we can, considering the circumstances right now. We're trying to stay positive for ourselves, our coworkers, our children, most importantly. But the times are tough. And what is your message tonight to the government to, you know, everyone in Washington who may actually go on recess and not even vote on this before the Easter holiday? I think my message is pretty simple. There should not be any government employee that is going to work and serving their country and have to decide in a long way. whether they have to spend money on gas or whether they have to spend money to feed their families.

It's a tough situation and it feels like we're just those pawns in the game and, you know, they're just discussing their own agenda while you over here sitting without pay. Duran, I know you guys have two young boys, a four-year-old and a son who turned seven tomorrow. Will you be even able to celebrate his birthday? Luckily, we had some support for my family. we've been blessed to receive some money from them in order to throw a little gathering for our signs. We'll be able to do a little something,

but nothing major like we really wanted to do. And you're driving for DoorDash right now in your spare time. How challenging is that to try to hold down two jobs? It's definitely a challenge considering the fact I use my own car to DoorDash and I don't have gas to start off originally. So you're already starting off like negative. just to make ends meet pretty much.

So it's definitely a challenge. And, Oksana, you've had it dip into your savings to kind of pay the bills. I mean, I feel so terrible for you guys. Yeah, you know, it's a common misconception when people saying, hey, you guys should have been saving, you know, you have a distant federal job. We have been saving, but, you know,

the first shutdown took some money out of it. We kind of try to prepare for a second shutdown. But, you know, at this point it's day 40 and savings are savings, but the money is not unlimited on there. At a certain point, it's just going to run dry. And, you know, there is no way I can afford to pay bills further down the road, try to get to work. Or, you know, it's like we have to worry about our children, first and foremost. Have you explained to them? Did they know kind of what's going on?

Or have you sort of shielded them from the news? I think we try to keep it simple. So they know something is going on because there's a certain, you know, ways we have to explain to children. No, we can't buy it right now. No, we can go to this place. No, we can go to this place because we have to cut down on certain things. And seven-year-old kind of got the idea that mommy and daddy go on to work but not getting paid right now. But it's extremely hard to explain to four-year-old why he cannot go, you know, to trampoline park.

it's those are situation that not only makes us emotional but as a parent how do you even you know try to explain it for the second time in this fiscal year why we can't do certain things yeah no it is unacceptable

and again I feel for you I can't imagine those conversations what have your interactions been like with passengers because these lines are so long but I know I was flying a couple of days ago when I was flying in and I noticed a lot of people I was observing them they were thanking TSA agents as they were going through.

Are you getting that or are you just getting people stressed out because the lines are long? Actually getting like a mixed combination of both. For the people that are aware of our situation, they're pretty grateful that we still come into work and stuff. But for the people that are unaware, they just see the long lines and they bring a lot of their frustration to us. And we just try to not let it affect us in the long run or in a short run and just try to handle what we got to do.

How long, how much further can you guys go? How much longer can you guys sort of hold out? Honestly, because we were trying to stretch every dollar that we possibly can, we most likely can pay our mortgage this one last month. And after that, we just have to either take out loans. We have to ask families for help because there is no, you know, no money will be left over for any other bills. We still have to keep our lights on. We still have to feed ourselves and our children. You know, we still have to get to work. Yeah, Oksana and Duran, again, I am sorry for you.

We're going to keep reporting this story out. I hope they can reach a deal at some point, and you guys can get the paychecks that you guys have already worked for and that you guys have earned. We thank you for sharing your story. Thank you so much, and thank you for having us. Okay, we're going to turn out of Top Stories News Feed. We start with the growing impacts of the Iran War here at home. The U.S. Postal Service announcing it's raising postage prices by

8% for packages, but not letters because of higher fuel costs. If approved by regulators, the change will begin in late April and will run through January of 27. And a civil lawsuit has been filed against NFL star, Puka Nakua. A woman is suing the L.A. Rams wide receiver and star accusing him of making what she called an unprovoked anti-Semitic statement before biting her on the shoulder. It allegedly all happened on New Year's Eve in a statement to NBC. Nakuwa's attorney denied those accusations.

And dramatic rescues a video out of Florida when a pontoon boat flipped, sending 11 people into the ocean. Here you can see deputies working to pull them from the water near Fort Myers Beach. The boat apparently overturned because of a big wave and strong winds. They say everybody on board was rescued, but two people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. And Stephen Colbert landing a new job just months before he set to exit as host of the late show. Warner Brothers confirming Colbert, will be a co-writer for the new Lord of the Rings movie Shadow of the Past. That's the second of two upcoming films from the franchise, which takes place years after the

death of Frodo. Colbert is a Lord of the Rings super fan and will be working on the project alongside his son, who's a veteran screenwriter. Very cool. Okay, now to a bizarre kidnapping in Utah, mom facing felony charges for allegedly abducted an 11-year-old boy who she says was bullying her daughter. NBC's Emily Aketa has this one. tonight this Utah mom could face jail time for allegedly kidnapping an 11-year-old boy for

bullying her daughter at school the boy's mother Amber Lee Colato says her son is traumatized by the incident grabbed him by the arm and said he was going with her to apologize to her daughter and she put him in her vehicle it happened last September in Provo according to court documents which detail how 40-year-old Shannon Tefuga allegedly drove around looking for the boy wanting to confront him about bullying her child. She made him get into her vehicle before taking him to her home to have him apologize and threatened to have her husband beat him up. And they basically opened their door and told him to get to F out and he ran all the way home. To Fuga, who the city says no longer works as a crossing guard at the children's school, is now facing second degree felony kidnapping and

aggravated child abuse charges. These are serious charges. We are very serious charges. I think we recognized from the outset that this isn't your typical child kidnapping case. This is not the way to address bullying or to try and stand up for your child. And with that, Emily, Aketa joins us now. So, Emily, we're also hearing from the accused mother's legal representatives. Yeah, that's right. Defugo's attorney is pushing back, calling the allegations not accurate and describing them as a symptom of, quote,

an erosion of traditional family values where children were once held accountable by their own parents. She's expected to appear in court next month, Tom. Emily, we thank you for that. When we come back tonight right here on Top Story, a remarkable moment at the White House. First Lady Melania Trump walking sign by side with a humanoid robot. We'll tell you what this was all about. Plus, Open AI pulling the plug on SORA just months after signing a billion dollar deal with Disney. So what does it mean for Hollywood in the tech world? That's next. Welcome back. Humanoid robots are everywhere. And now they're even at the White House. Earlier today, one accompanied the First Lady at a global summit in D.C.

Just the latest in a series of robotic counters were seen around the country. NBC's Jesse Kirsch has more. Tonight, the White House is showcasing a different kind of diplomatic reception, with First Lady Melania Trump welcoming an ambassador of the future. Very soon, artificial intelligence will move from our mobile phones to humanoids that deliver utility. The first lady standing side by side, a humanoid robot, known as figure three, at an international summit focused on artificial intelligences, growing role in educating children. I am grateful to be part of this historic movement to empower children with technology and education. Does this feel like any kind of seismic moment with the White House putting its stamp on it, or is this just the latest in a series of incremental updates?

I think what we saw at the White House today was really some showmanship. The American-made robot apparently completely autonomous, according to the company, meaning there are no humans controlling it. I think it's a real indication of the White House wanting to put a flag out there and say, look, the U.S. is going to be a leader in robotics. Today's event just the latest in a flurry of humanoid headlines. Sprout, Ablas Spanish? Yes, Ible Spanish. You might remember meeting Sprout right here on Top Story. Sprout, is there anything you can tell me that you've learned through AI?

I've learned to recognize people I meet, understand natural conversations, and adapt to different tasks and environments. Now the humanoid maker's CEO says it's being acquired by Amazon. There's also this viral moment in Chicago, a delivery robot driving into a bus stop, shattering glass, and then the robot keeps going down the block. The robot's owner says it's committed to addressing any concerns directly. and we take this matter very seriously. Last week, we showed you this wild video from Cupertino, California. A hot pot restaurant's robot seemingly going road. That restaurant company telling NBC News, the robot was brought closer to the guest's table at their request, which affected its movement.

And while the technology is not perfect, one thing's clear. The robots are here to stay. Jesse Kerse joins us now, and Jesse, it was striking. to see a robot walking side by side with the First Lady at the White House. But she pointed out there are still a lot of unknowns. Yeah, and I've seen this firsthand, Tom, being in an education setting with AI, right? There are potential pitfalls you've got to work around. And of course, this is still an evolving technology.

The First Lady at one point today saying in part, quote, we must balance our tech optimism with caution. The safety of our next generation is always paramount. But of course, the very essence of the event underscoring that the White House, the First The Trump administration sees AI as being a crucial part of education in the future. Tom. All right, Jesse Curse first. Desi, we thank you. Now to a stunning reversal in the world of tech and entertainment, ChatGPT parent company,

Open AI, shuddering its video generation app, SORO. It went viral, you remember last fall, for allowing users to create and share short-form videos using AI. It also made waves for inking a groundbreaking deal with Disney that would bring hundreds of its characters to the platform in a move that really rattled Hollywood. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and then Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the deal in December and just three months later, OpenAI pulling the plug. Take a listen.

People really want to connect with Disney characters and express creativity in new ways. And we are confident from everything we've heard from our users that they're going to respond very well to being able to do this. And I hope that it'll unleash a sort of a whole new way that people use this technology. Often we hold back models. We don't release features. And this was an example of having to prioritize. It doesn't mean we won't get back into areas of creativity. It's not a never. It's just we have to make hard choices. Those are some fast choices. For more on what this all means, I want to bring in deadline executive editor Dominic Patton, also a good friend of Top Story. Dominic, I don't know if I'm buying what Open AI is selling right now. Listen, I get it. It takes a lot of computing to make these videos. and if everyone at once or millions of people want to start making these videos,

I get it. It can jam up the system. But if something is popular and something is taking off and something is hot, you think a company that needs money would stay invested in it. You would, Tom. But in fact, the thing is this is not what they want to be invested in. What Open AI and Sam Alvin want to be invested in is a multi-billion-dollar, God, maybe even trillion-dollar IPO, that they've been quaffing, manicuring and getting prepared for months now.

The reality is that this kind of deal and these kind of short-form videos are not where they see the big bucks, which is artificial general intelligence and more what I would say, mechanical usage of the technology. That is what they hope to use. There's where they think the money is. And honestly, Hollywood has learned yet again that when you dance with the tech gods, you dance with the devil. But, Dominic, is there anything we can extrapolate or pull from the money?

is this something maybe people just weren't into? Because when you talk about something like a social media, like a TikTok or an Instagram, yes, they evolve over time and they start as one thing and they change. But people stay interested in them. And I just wonder, I don't feel like I was hearing about SORA as much as I was hearing about other social media companies that sort of take off or catch fire very quickly. Well, see, I would respectfully disagree there, Tom. I would say, in fact, we've heard a lot about this recently in things like the war in Iran,

where both sides have been using AI technology and AI-generated video to propagate their own and pitch their propaganda. So, in fact, it's had a great possibility. The other thing, too, of course, is this was with the Disney. I don't know. And I get that point. But what I'm talking about is the youth of America, the youth around the world, brands. You know, when an app becomes very hot, everyone gets sort of invested in it, whether, again, I'm using Instagram and TikTok. But even Vine, when Vine was around, and again, yes, it's sunset.

But it took off like wildfire and everybody wanted to get a piece of that. With SORA, yeah, people were making fake videos. I mean, you know, people have been doing disinformation for a decade now probably. But my larger point was they did not take off with the market like maybe they expected it to. I mean, Disney poured a billion dollars into this at the beginning, so they must have thought this is going to be gangbusters. Well, in fact, I think, Tommy, it was gangbusters. But what it wasn't was it wasn't a big money maker right away. As you talked about at the beginning here, Open A,

is a company that spends a lot more than it brings in. It's got these incredibly expensive data base centers that are chewing up all the electricity across the country. So it's got to find ways to pay the bills. And when it looks and shows potential investors what it can bring to the table, it needs to show them that it has a real business model and revenue stream.

Whether or not these short-form viral videos, especially with Disney characters, I just saw one recently. We actually created one yesterday after they said they were pulling the plug because the plug has not actually yet been pulled. They're not saying when it's been pulled. We created Captain America on Wall Street

to kind of mock their IPO ambitions. So these are, I think, quite hot, but the thing is they're not money makers. They're not connected to advertising. They're not connected to sales. They're not connected to merch. And for Open AI, who have been through this so many times, they put something on the shelf, and then they pulled it down.

They just showed Hollywood that that old tech adage of, you know, move fast and break things, they moved very fast. And I, according to our reporting, yeah, according to our reporting, Disney were tremendously surprised that this happened. They were talking with OpenAI as late as Monday

night about projects they were intending on working on together. And of course, as you said, former CEO Bob Iger, who was the one who brought this merger to them, or this investment, rather, you know, there have been a lot of talk that he would get deeper involved in this. It wasn't just the billion dollars. It was the licensing of the 250

Disney characters within certain guardrails, obviously. That was seen as a bonanza for Disney as well, who hoped to break into the short-form market on their own platforms. Is there Schadenfreude in Hollywood about this? A little bit of like, ha, the creator economy, let's just stick to making movies in Hollywood, doing what we know best, and this is what the public wants? I think what there is here is what happened a lot internally at Disney and other places, is when you start swimming in potential slop, you're going to get dirty and mucky. And that's what happened here. And they weren't the bosses. The bosses were the tech lords. And the tech lords decided they had to move fast to find something else to bring in the box.

Got it. Dominic, what's the larger story we can pull out of this, if anything? Open AI, Anthropic, all these companies, they are moving so fast. Everyone's going to want a piece of the action. But what can we learn from this? I think the main thing to learn, Tom, is there's no school like the old school. Anthropic, we're looking at some of the issues. issues that they're having with the Pentagon,

we're looking at other things. What was once baseline manufacturing, those kind of things, assembly, hard goods, products, getting missiles from the drawing board to the launch pad in 70 days, that is where AI can make money. And these companies with the vast investment and the terrible risks that people have and fear that this is a bubble that could sink parts of the US economy,

if not all of it, if it burst, like the tech bubble did in 2000, they want to see products that make money. And money is what Open AI needs a lot of. And that's what they all need. That's the big picture, as it always is in America. Dominic Patton, for us, always appreciate your time, my friend. Thank you, sir. All right, time now for Top Stories Global Watch. We start with an update in that arson attack we brought to you yesterday that's being investigated as an anti-Semitic hate crime. British police say they've arrested two men in connection with the four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity that were set on fire earlier this week. Authorities described

as an important breakthrough in the case, but say a third suspect might still be at large. Staying in the UK with a major milestone for the Church of England, this is Sarah Malalley, the first woman ever to be named Archbishop of Canterbury since the Post was created more than 1,400 years ago. She's a former cancer nurse who became a priest

at the age of 40. In her first sermon, Malawi talked about the power of hope saying she was uplifted by the belief that nothing will be impossible with God. And you know the saying, THE MAN'S BEEN DOGS ARE MAN'S BEST FRIEND. Well, it turns out they're actually been very loyal to us and our companions for much longer than we thought. Two new studies looked at the DNA of ancient dogs from Europe and Asia,

and they found some of the pups dated back to almost 16,000 years ago. That moves the origin of dogs back by at least 5,000 years. In other words, humans had dogs when they were still hunting with spears and using cave walls as canvases. Okay, when we come back tonight, the emotional surprise for a little bit of beloved sixth grade teacher, the touching moment her school came together to mark a milestone in her cancer treatment. That's next. We're back with the return of baseball. The first official game of the season is tonight, and the MLB already has momentum. Ratings have rebounded, and the

sport just set a new viewership record for its premier international event. But simmering under the surface of the highly anticipated 2026 season, a real possibility that this is the last opening day for a while. Ryan Chandler explains. The first pitch of the year. sign that finally spring is in the air. Stadium swing their doors open for baseball's biggest fans. But as nearly 800 major league players lock in, team owners plan to lock them out. The game is as popular as has been in a very long time. And a lot of people around the game are concerned that a prolonged labor stoppage could really squander that momentum.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has suggested a lockout after this year is, well, essentially, lock. That happened five years ago. The players union and team owners still at odds. But the two sides scrambled to reach a deal without losing games. This time, the threat of a summer without baseball is as real as it's been in more than 30 years. On the 34th day of the player strike, team owners late today canceled what was left of this season, including the World Series. That was 1994. When players went on strike, forcing President Bill Clinton and future Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to intervene. Baseball struggled to recover. They lost fans over time, and it took them a while to get it back. Football has long surpassed America's pastime as the

most popular sport, but baseball is warming up. Last year's World Series was the highest rated since 2017, beating the NBA finals and stadium attendance during the regular season, top 70 million, growing for the third straight year. So what's the holdup? It may all come down to a salary cap. Right now there isn't one, and players say they'll never agree to it. For players, a salary cap is a non-starter

because it essentially creates this governor that is totally artificial and does not actually reflect what teams would pay for a talent like in O-Tony. Some argue baseball's problem is a battle between the halves and the have-nots. Wealthy teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets

can dole out 700, million dollar deals for stars like Shohei Otani and Juan Soto. Owners of some poorer teams say they need a salary cap to keep up. A survey by the athletic shows more than two-thirds of fans do want a cap, only if it comes with a floor that forces some teams to spend more. The head of the players union points the finger at owners, almost all of whom are billionaires, saying many fans think the answer is to just sell their teams if they can't keep up.

Neither Major League Baseball nor the Players Union provided us with a statement. I don't know that most of your run-on-the-mill fans is going to have a real vested interest in salary cap but no salary cap. I think most fans believe that players should get paid market value of their great players. A new fight looming over this season, as fans feared there could be crying in baseball over a lost summer in the sun next year. And finally tonight is school community in Nebraska coming together to celebrate one teacher's major milestone, her 100th cancer treatment, what the moment meant to her and her inspiring message tonight. Teacher Tammy Phillips walked into the school gym, not expecting this massive surprise. The sixth grade teacher at Sergeant Public Schools in central Nebraska has been battling cancer

and just finished her 100th treatment. The milestone celebrated throughout the school, teachers wearing special 100 glasses and students offering messages of support and hope. We are proud of you. I was given a very short period of time to live. I told myself that I want to hit a goal of 100 treatments. And I met that goal and I'm still here. And I know it's due to all the support I have. The surprise milestone celebration organized by Tammy's stepdaughter,

Shayley, who is also a teacher at the school. Tammy means everything more than words. I can't even explain what she means to me. Tammy's fight against the disease is ongoing, but she's doing well, bolstered by this celebration and the community that loves her. I just am thankful that I have all these people in my corner because with this disease, nobody fights alone. And if I can inspire one person with my story to keep going, then I've done my job. All right, that does it for us tonight. Thanks so much for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yomis in New York.

Stay right there. More news on the way.