Top Story with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Episode Date: May 14, 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.

Tonight, we're live from Beijing. We're just beyond those walls. Moments from now, President Trump will meet face-to-face with China's leader in a critical meeting for both countries and the world. President Trump landing in Beijing to an elaborate welcome ceremony. Air Force One met by cheering crowds. But that's just the beginning. The final preparations at the Great Hall of the People, just minutes from here, where President Trump and President Xi will square off. a very tough negotiator. Our new reporting on the issues the president will raise, the American CEOs who came with him,

and the 11th hour addition to the trip, how the White House got this key AI leader to meet the president's plane in Alaska and get on board. Can the president open China up to more big business from America? And what does China want from these talks? Is China looking for a fight? Plus, the new fallout from these comments from President Trump. I don't think about American financial situation. The reaction today. Whose side is the president on? I don't get it. Also tonight, the stunning reversal, South Carolina's Supreme Court overturning Alec Murdoch's

convictions for the murder of his wife and son, why the justices say a court clerk placed her fingers on the scales of justice and what happens next. Chaos inside the Senate of the Philippines, gunfire erupting, sending people running, how it could be tied to a senator wanted by international authorities. Dramatic rescue at sea, a plane carrying nearly a dozen people crashing into the Atlantic, how they all survived until help arrived. And Swatch Watch Craze the new collaboration with a luxury brand that has people camping out for days. Is it really worth their time?

Back in China? The lasting legacy of the one-child policy, the people told for decades to have only one-child. policy. The people told for decades to have only one kid. Now, population growth is stalling. We take you inside the new push for more marriages and more children. The wedding industry is that much more competitive. The drone shows promoting marriage, even offering newlyweds cash bonuses. And we hit the streets of Beijing. That's delicious. In search of the new food trends that could come to America, like the Beijing-style

hamburger. It's almost like a chopped steak. And I try a dish that legend says you have to be born and raised in Beijing to life. There you go. So, how did it taste? We're covering it all as history unfolds in China tonight. This is a special edition

of Top Story. President Trump in China, reporting tonight from Beijing. Here is Tom Yamas. And good evening from Beijing. Tonight, the eyes of the world are on this city as two of the great global superpowers are just moments away from a historic summit. We are in the heart of the capital, just steps from the forbidden city.

And just beyond those walls there is Tiananmen Square and the great hall of the people, where President Trump and President Xi will come face to face. Hours ago, President Trump touching down in Beijing, welcomed by China's vice president and crowds of students waving Chinese and American flags. President Trump flaunting the might of American industry flanked by some of the most powerful business leaders in the world, hoping the economic show of force will help open up China. Among them, Navidius Jensen Wong, a source telling NBC News, he got a last-minute call from President Trump to join the summit. A decision made so late he had to fly to Alaska to join Air Force One on its way to China.

His presence perhaps a sign the battle over AI and American-made chips will take center state. And while President Trump says trade is his top priority, how will Iran fit into the conversation? The war felt deeply by Americans at home who are facing higher prices in nearly every aspect of their daily life. The new criticism tonight after the president said he's, quote, not thinking about their financial strain during negotiations with Iran. And China expected to push hard on Taiwan, hoping the U.S. eases it up on its defense of the self-governing island that China claims is part of its territory. You'll hear from a retired senior colonel in the Chinese military about why the disputed territory is at the top of their agenda. We have full-team coverage once again tonight, breaking down everything you need to know about how these next 24 hours will go and what you need to be watching for. We begin right here in Beijing just steps away from that historic face-to-face meeting about to unfold.

Tonight, President Trump arriving in China to a lavish welcome. Hundreds of kids waving Chinese and American flags as the president prepares to begin his high-stakes summit. Among the president's entourage, top American CEOs. You can see Elon Musk, and that's Jensen Wang, CEO of American AI chipmaker Navidia. President Trump posting he'll be asking President Xi to open up China to American businesses. We're going to have a great meeting in China. It's a wonderful guy. Tonight, we spoke with retired Chinese senior colonel Soboa.

What do you think the Chinese government thinks of President Donald Trump? I think we definitely would just lay out the red carpet to welcome him. He's coming when China is much stronger, yeah, and when China is more confident. President Trump trying to level the playing field for U.S. companies here. He's hit China with some of his biggest tariffs. and the U.S. trade deficit with China dropped 30% last year to around $200 billion. And there's a new battle over AI. A source tells NBC News, Navidia's CEO was included in the delegation after a last-minute call from President Trump.

The Trump administration accuses China of an industrial-scale effort to steal U.S. technology on AI. And there's a fierce debate over whether more American companies should sell AI computer chips to China. Those chips allow us to be ahead in AI, and quite frankly, the Chinese want access to them. And the new reaction tonight over the president's response when asked if America's financial situation motivated him to make a deal with Iran. I don't think about American financial situation. I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing you cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.

The American people understand when it's over, you're going to have a massive drop in the price of oil. Democrats slamming the president. He said, I don't think about Americans' financial situation. Can you believe it? Republicans firing back. The president thinks about American's financial situation, and we talk about it constantly. Then there's Taiwan, the democratic, self-governing island that China's communist government claims as a part of its territory.

How will President Trump respond when China's expected to push the U.S. to soften its stance on defending Taiwan? For more on the historic day ahead here in Beijing, I want to bring in senior White House correspondent Gabe Gutierrez. Gabe, we thank you for being here. For our viewers back home, it's obviously nighttime, but here the day is just getting started. What can we expect from President Trump? A lot going on over the next couple of hours, Tom. You and I will be watching it. Now, President Trump, as you said, came here overnight to all that fanfare, and we expect more of that pomp and pageantry really throughout the morning here.

He's set to go to the Great Hall of the people to meet with President Xi. He'll get the official ceremony welcoming him here to Beijing. We expect a bilateral meeting between President Trump and President Xi. He'll also tour the Temple of Heaven and historic site here in Beijing before that huge state banquet later on tonight. And the president has gone back and forth about how much Iran will be part of these negotiations and these talks. Do we get a sense now that they're about to meet, just steps from where we are, how much will Iran be part of this agenda? Look, publicly, President Trump probably won't focus on Iran. The question is privately, how much will he do it?

You're right. There has been mixed messaging here. He said he's going to have a very long talk with President Xi about Iran, and then a few minutes later in that same conversation with reporters, saying that Iran probably won't come up in any great deal. But the Defense Secretary acknowledged to lawmakers that the Trump administration does think that China has a lot of leverage with Iran, and certainly it is something that is looming over this entire meeting. The question will be behind closed doors.

How much does he push President Xi to get involved when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz or even the broader conflict to try and reach some sort of deal? When it comes to the give and take of the business world, it's going to be a big part of these talks. And we saw that the NVIDIA CEO is here as well. There are people in America who say, listen, we should not give American-made AI chips to China. And of course, there's people who say Chinese EVs should not be allowed in America. So what do you think is going to happen here? Look, there's a fierce debate here, right?

You mentioned that point that, yes, the idea that AI chips should not be exported to China. But then there's also the argument from people who think, well, if you don't trade with China, if you don't export those chips to China, then China's going to become self-reliant and cut the U.S. out of the market completely. So the Nvidia CEO is a very interesting situation. It's a last-minute call that he got from President Trump to be on this trip. The president even posted about it, he was frustrated with some of the media coverage on some of the business networks. talking about how the NVIDIA CEO was supposedly not invited here. The president doesn't like negative media coverage,

and he wants to focus here to be on any potential economic announcements that may come out of this. We don't know the specifics of that yet, but senior administration officials over the last several days have been talking up the possibility of some sort of announcement on a board of trade, a board of investment. Any possible win that they can get when it comes to the economic front will be considered a win by the Trump administration.

They can come out of here with that and project an image of stability, they will consider that a major victory. A critical couple of days here in Beijing. Gabe, we thank you so much for that. We heard President Trump mentioned the issue of Taiwan, which will be a major focus for China here at this summit. China's military, the People's Liberation Army, has been ramping up pressure by sending warplanes

and naval vessels around the democratic self-governing island, which China claims as part of its territory. You saw earlier I spoke with retired senior colonel Soboa about what China stands to gain from these talks, and about what intel they've gathered from watching the U.S. wage war against Iran. Here's more of our conversation. What do you think the most important aspect of these negotiations is for China? Well, you see, it depends on who you are.

From American side, I think it is more about the deals, different deals. Maybe even the war in Iran could be a deal. But from Chinese side, I believe, you know, Tower issue would be the top agenda. I don't believe. Which issue? Taiwan issue. Yeah, yeah. Because in part that is because it was not mentioned in Korea when the two leaders met.

So this time being China, yeah, so I'm sure they're going to talk about it. Is China looking for a fight? No. The question actually should be thrown back to the United States. Are you looking for a fight in Taiwan Street or not? Because there are two dangerous areas for us in which China and the U.S. could come into fight. One is South China Sea, the other is Taiwan Street.

In South China Sea, it might be triggered by a kind of unintended collision of aircraft or ships. Yes, we had that before, right? But now the situation is different because the public opinions have changed. But if China is not looking for a fight, why the military buildup? Good question. Because the Chinese military, like the U.S. military, has more than one mission. Because for all military, it's just for territorial defense.

This is the same thing, right? But for major power, actually, they could have two more things. One is to protect your overseas interest, and the other one is to shoulder your international responsibilities. So we are not only thinking about Taiwan. What do you think China's military has learned from the U.S. war with Iran? Well, I think we have learned a number of things. First of all, your allies are not really helpful.

Yeah, so have your allies aren't helpful? Yeah, your allies are not helpful. None of them would come to help you, right? So that means you have wasted your money over the past years and decades. Yeah, and so that is a good lesson for China, because Chinese policy is not to have an alliance, right? And besides, you know, fighting far away, you know, from your own shores, which is not justifiable politically, Yeah, this actually would invite all the kind of negative repercussion even from your allies. So nobody knows why Trump has actually launched the war, according to what I have read from all of your newspapers, right?

That is a very interesting answer, which you said there earlier, before your caveat. I do want to ask you, though, speaking militarily, has China observed how the U.S. attacked Iran, the use of drones, the way it is using its naval assets as well? Well, of course what we are watching, because you see, in terms of drones, China actually is one of the most developed countries in producing all kinds of drones. The only thing is because we do not have a war, so we don't know how, you know, reliable they are. But there is a good example in the air flight between India and Pakistan, yeah, in which, you know, Pakistan used Chinese, you know, aircraft to shoot down the best aircraft. from France. So that shows Chinese weapons could work quite well. You mentioned this, so I would like to ask you about it. China has not been involved in a war for nearly 50 years. The battlefield is now very foreign to China. Is that dangerous?

Well, you know, this is a dilemma. For example, you are having a sword. You don't know how sharp it is, right? But you just cannot chop down somebody's head to see whether it is sharp or not, because not chopping down somebody's head serve your better interest. And so this kind of a variety, China's peaceful rise in nearly half a century is the best dividend for China because China is certainly much stronger. China is next stone to the United States. What is your assessment of the U.S. military? The U.S. military is number one in the world, that is for sure, because even if, you know, the wars in Reda and in Iran are not justifiable politically, but militarily, they are well done. so everybody would have to agree to that.

And the target of the PLA, the Chinese military, is to become world-class military by 2049. That will be 100 anniversary of the founding of the People of Republic of China. But then the question is, who is already world-class military, right? If you want to become world-class, that I believe the only military that is world-class right now is the US military.

Do you think China sees the U.S. as an ally, a partner, or as an enemy? Certainly, the United States is not an ally, is not an enemy. We, according to you, are competitors. Yeah. But, you know, there is something good. What is good? In 21st century, we do not have this kind of ideological rivalry. So that means even if we're competing, we're competing within the same international system.

So that actually would make our unnatural relationship much easier. Karnoai, thank you for your time. Thank you. We want to continue our conversation now about Taiwan. NBC's Janice Mackie Freer, who was based here in Beijing for NBC News, joins us again tonight. I guess, Janice, the question I have is how much daylight is there between the U.S. and China right now? It's a major flashpoint between the U.S. and China, and they will be discussing U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, which is something U.S. presidents have never done with Chinese leaders. And I think that's why there's so much discussion right now around what President Trump may or may not agree to.

He's being seen as more ambiguous when it comes to Taiwan, whereas Beijing has been consistently clear that Taiwan is the core of core interests. And what Beijing would like to see from the U.S. is a change in language for the U.S. to oppose Taiwan independence instead of just not supporting Taiwan independence. So these are small words, but they make a major difference here. It's unlikely that we're going to see that sort of fundamental change come out of just two days of talks. But it is part of the discussion between these leaders in a way we haven't seen before. Yeah. We're going to take somewhat of a turn here. But one of the reasons why we come to Beijing, we come to report in China,

is to learn and to show our viewers back at home what's going on. When people back at home, including myself, think of China, we think of the 1.4 billion people. So many people here in China. but China's having a population problem. And it's because of a policy they enacted a long time ago. Explain us what's happening right now and what you learned in your reporting. Well, China's one-child policy was meant to control population, but it's had a lasting impact on the country.

Both marriage and birth rates are now hitting record lows. So the government is being forced to get creative to try and entice more couples to get married and have families. Once the world's most populous country, China is no longer growing, hitting its lowest birth rate on record, mainly because fewer young people are getting married. It's not that I don't want to get married, says Ding Ying. It's just life pressure. The reasons for the declines are partly economic, with youth unemployment and housing costs on the rise. For the wedding ceremony, we have spent a lot of money. The marriage rate now. Now the worst since the pandemic when China was locked down. But values around marriage and family have also changed, especially among China's urban women,

like Angela He, who's choosing to own a gym and raise a dog instead. We got more freedom than before. So people can decide what is their life going to be. It's not like a traditional China anymore. It was only a decade ago that the Communist Party ended the one-child policy that imposed family planning rules to control population. Couples who defied them were punished as unpatriotic, with fines, shaming, even jail. Now caught in a demographic squeeze, China's government is trying to reverse it, giving bonuses

to newlyweds, offering marriage vows at spots that look good on social media, and spelling it out in drone shows with diamonds in the sky. To rewire thinking, this university even has a bachelor's degree program in marriage, covering the whole cycle from matchmaking to counseling. In the past, people were more willing to marry and have children to feel secure, says the school's dean. Now they believe they can live well on their own. For the most part, experts doubt the government's campaign will lead to a any sort of marriage or baby boom here. The challenge for China remaining strong with a population

that's shrinking. And Janice joins us again once again live here in Beijing. So Janice, I want to ask you, besides the incentives you talked about, there's actually cities that are giving newlyweds cash money? Cold hard cash to get married in some cities. Others are offering vouchers for things like wedding photography or to buy furniture. And there's even a travel bonus, paid leave, up to 30 days for people to get married and take their honeymoon. All of it, of course, a challenge for China's government still because not enough people are going for. A good way to start their marriages. All right, we thank you for that, Janice.

And while here in Beijing, we had the chance to get a real taste of one of the world's great food cities. Lost plate food tours taking us on a culinary journey to try some of the most popular local dishes. Deep inside the Second Ring Road, in the heart of Beijing, We're on the hunt for China's delicacies. At a cost of around 10 U.S. dollars, we're going to eat, explore, and try dishes like these. It's almost like a chopped steak. Showing us the way, our food guide, Kelly Jong. So Beijing style is the goal today.

Of course, because you're in Beijing now. Our first stop, Liu Beijing Xiaobing, which translates to... This is the burgers, and this is also the name for this restaurant. That's right. A Chinese burger joint, but not like back home. Maybe you order. Of course. Kelly orders dumplings, steam buns, tofu pudding, the Beijing burger, and this thing.

A fried dough stick known as Yotiao, but you can call it. The Chinese churot. Chinese churro? We sit to feast. First up the burger, a chopped steak between two sesame patties. Mmm, this is delicious. We call it Imperial beef burgers. Because in Asian China, only the royals can get access to beef.

The dumplings are delicious and came with a history lesson. Kelly tells me legend has it, dumplings are meant to look like ears. In ancient China, they were used as a type of medicine. Okay, and that's why it shaped like in here. Yes. The Chinese churo, a big winner. This is a very local way to have the food. Mmm, it's very good.

From there, Kelly is on the move again to a 100-year-old food stall, serving up traditional Chinese snacks, and she lets me order. Yaubeau? Our bag filled with fried pancakes glazed in brown sugar. This is delicious. Very good. What I didn't realize was Kelly was just buttering me up for the ultimate food challenge, our final stop.

This Michelin-rated restaurant called Insan Dozier. Kelly quietly ordered something at the counter, bringing back something confusing. This is a Beijing signature breakfast. And it's very challenging. But I should say it's not only a challenge for you guys like foreigners, but still a challenge for most of the Chinese not from Beijing. It's a Beijing super unique. This traditional Beijing breakfast item, Dozier, is fermented mung bean juice.

And you're not a legit local if you can't take this down. There you go. Spoiler alert. I cannot. This is very tough to eat. It's a quiet taste. It's a bitter. sour, pungent soup that Kelly tells me to try once more.

But this time, the way most locals like it, with the dough ring and pickled vegetable. Second time wasn't a charm. But a meal I know I will never forget. So did I pass the challenge? Finish the whole bowl, then you pass. And I am still filled up from that meal. We will stay live from Beijing every step of the way for this historic summit between the U.S. and China. Join us tomorrow for a one-on-one interview with Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.

We will bring you that conversation here and, of course, on Nightly News. But right now, let's get back to the Top Story Studios in New York, and my colleague and friend Kate Snow, who's tracking all the other major headlines tonight. Kate, good evening. Good evening to you, Tom. Thanks so much. We have much more ahead tonight on Top Story, including reaction to the shocking decision out of South Carolina, overturning the murder convictions of former attorney Alec Murdoch,

why a court made the decision and why he will not walk free. Plus, what the CDC is now saying about those American cruise passengers in quarantine, how long will they stay? And the arson suspects caught on camera, look at this, lighting up a cannabis shop and accidentally setting themselves on fire. That wild video straight ahead. We're back tonight with a shocking twist in the double murder case of former lawyer Alec Murdoch. The South Carolina Supreme Court overturning Murdoch's convictions

for the killings of his wife and son. NBC's Laura Jarrett has more. It was the case that captivated the nation, but tonight, Alec Murdoch getting a new trial. South Carolina's top court tossing out his convictions for the murder of his wife and son, finding shocking jury tampering by then court clerk Becky Hill. Hill, long accused by the defense

of trying to cash in with a tell-all book about her role overseeing the jury, denied accusations she tried. tried to influence jurors. I did not pressure the jury. But the court today in a unanimous decision called her behavior disgraceful, saying she wrongly placed her fingers on the scales of justice by telling jurors deliberations shouldn't take long, advising them not to be fooled by evidence from Murdoch's defense attorneys and suggesting

they watch Murdoch's body language when he took the stand in his own defense in 2023. Some jurors tonight in disbelief at the court's decision, undoing their verdict. And I was like, what? Why? The evidence was overwhelming. He was guilty. Murdoch's attorneys praising the ruling, saying in a statement, Alec has said from day one that he did not kill his wife and son. We look forward to a new trial. But Murdoch will not walk free, the disgraced lawyer admitting to stealing from clients and pled guilty to a litany of state and federal financial crimes. Yet he always maintained his innocence for the shooting deaths of his wife and son.

I'm innocent. I would never hurt my wife, Maggie, and I would never hurt my son, Pawpaw. The family's drama and those grisly killings, the subject of multiple series and documentaries. The law did not pertain to them. Tonight, the state vowing to retry Murdoch for those murders. When a state believes that it has credible evidence that someone committed a murder and the state wants to pursue those charges, the state has a right to. Kate, as for what happens next here, the Attorney General's office making it clear they can ask the High Court to reconsider their ruling or they could try to appeal this all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. But if that doesn't work and they actually move forward with a retrial, it could look very different next time around.

now that the court has narrowed the amount of financial misdeeds that Murdoch is accused of of being included in a new murder trial. Kate, back to you. Laura Jarrett For us, Laura, thank you. Let me bring in a couple more experts now to discuss NBC News legal analyst. Misty Maris is here. And Valerie Borlein, she's a reporter for the Wall Street Journal who has extensively covered Alec Murdoch's case and the prominence of the Murdoch legal legacy in South Carolina. She's also author of the book The Devil at His Elgin'Urower.

Elbow, Alec Murdoch, and the fall of a Southern Dynasty. Thanks to both of you for being with us. Valerie, I'll start with you because you've dedicated a large part of your career now to this case. With all the insight you have, are you surprised that those convictions were overturned? Well, I would say it's been, I've been covering this case for five years, Kate. And it is surprising to be where we are. I think that the jury, their verdict was so clear. they reached it in a very short amount of time, just a matter of hours after the six weeks of testimony. So if you'd asked me in March of 2023 when the verdict was reached, whether we'd be here, I wouldn't have said so.

But we have come to understand, and the Supreme Court was very adamant. This was a unanimous ruling on their part, that the remarks from the clerk of court, Becky Hill, to members of the juror, they found them credible. Not only that, they found them an error that was they couldn't correct for, right? They weren't harmless. They weren't offhanded remarks. So I am surprised to be here. I would have not expected that we would be facing a do-over of the most streamed, one of the biggest trials in our history. Yeah, indeed, such high interest in this trial. Misty, the state does say they plan to retry, Alec Murdoch, and you heard Laura Jared explain that there are now some constraints on what prosecutors can do in this new trial. Right. So they overturned the verdict based on the misconduct. of Becky Hill, but what the court also did was say that too much evidence relating to financial

crimes came in the first time around. This is really relevant because the prosecution's case was centered around Murdoch's motive, which was financial crimes that led him to commit murder. So if prosecutors have to limit that, and we don't know what that limitation will be, that could really mean a big pivot when it comes to their trial strategy. Right, because it was a lot of what they were using to try to create a motive, right? He murdered these people because he was in financial trouble. Yes, he was in financial trouble. He was on the brink of being found out.

And so to get sympathy, he murdered his wife and child. It was a huge part of the motive in the case. Valerie, the court clerk, back to her, Becky Hill, was outspoken throughout the trial, even writing in her book that she met you while you were covering the case. What kind of influence from your perspective did she have on that jury? And what else have you learned about that alleged jury tampering? Well, I would just remind everyone, you know, Waterboro, South Carolina, where this trial was held is a small town.

It's 5,500 people. I'm from the South. I mean, Becky Hill, the clerk of court, was Ms. Walterboro when she was young. She knew a lot of the jurors before they took their seats in the jury box. And in that courtroom, there were only 100 or so of us on the daily basis, and we all knew Becky Hill very well. We relied on her a lot.

I think you'll remember. that Alan Wilson, the Attorney General we just heard from, as well as Dick Carputlian, the lead defense lawyer thanked her for, you know, her role in running a good proceeding. So, you know, it is surprising to understand now after we've had the benefit of this lengthy period of time with juror testimony that there were some things that the courts really felt were out of hand and out of bounds. Because, yes, you're right. She was someone we all knew and interacted.

with on a daily basis. Yeah. Misty, Alec Murdoch is already in prison on these other financial charges that he pled out to. Will he remain behind bars as he serves that sentence? Like, is there any chance that what happened today disrupts that part of things? No, so that part of things, he pled guilty to those crimes. He's sentenced to 27 and 40 years between the state and federal financial crime. So that remains intact. The big question becomes, do prosecutors go for a second time around? attorney general vowing today during a press conference to move forward with the speedy trial relating to the murders. And Valerie, your reporting also dives really deep into the Murdoch dynasty,

right? His influence in the South, in that small town, that picture you were painting is so vivid and his stunning fall from prominence. Do you think that he'll be able to get a second trial that is a fair trial with a jury that doesn't know anything about him? Well, you know, it's funny that you mentioned that, Kate, in the sense that this is a family, the Murdoch family had run both levers of the courts, civil and criminal, for the better part of a century in that part of the world. And jury tampering in a small town was a lot of the way that things got done 40 years ago, 50 years ago. So there's a certain irony in the jury tampering allegations. But I think one of the things that stood out to me today was the question was for years,

ELEC Murdoch was credibly accused and pleaded guilty to all manner of theft and wrongdoing. So it used to be the case like, well, the rules don't apply to Alec Murdoch. You know, he can do what he wants? And then the question was, well, do the rules don't apply to Alec Murdoch in terms of a fair trial? And I think what the takeaway for me today was the Supreme Court says, even for Alec Murdoch, who was a scourge on the legal profession, this is so important, the sanctity of a fair trial that we're going to to award him one. And I do think we will have another do-over of this wild case. Yeah. Well, maybe another book coming, Valerie Borlein, Misty Maris. Is that a bad joke?

We'll see. Thank you so much to both of you. Appreciate it. The stunning rescue at sea, American rescue team saving nearly a dozen people after a plane went down off the coast of Florida. But first, top story's top moment. And the show's stopping moment for a middle school drama teacher, Ms. Long, getting the surprise of a lifetime when she found her, she found out her former student was nominated for a Tony Award. Take a look. Did you know Christy was just nominated for a Tony? No, no. Yeah. You want to say anything there?

Yes. I'm so proud of you. Congratulations. I'll be watching. So Ms. Long actually got to see her former student, Kristiani Pitts, in two strangers on Broadway back in December, telling us she always knew that she would be a star. Stay with us. More top story on the way. Back now with an update on those cruise passengers exposed to the hanta virus, the CDC now weighing in on those Americans quarantining in Nebraska. Camila Bernal has been following it all and joins us now from outside that Nebraska quarantine. Center. Camila, what is the CDC saying tonight? Well, Kate, what they're saying is that they are encouraging every single one of the people here to remain at this facility, at least for the time that they're being monitored. That is 42 days. And the clock started on May 11th, the day they got

off the plane and off of that ship. So there's still a long way to go for a lot of these passengers. And all of them, as far as we know, are asymptomatic, according to medical professionals. They're all being essentially assessed with temperature checks and symptom checks twice a day every single day. One of them, Jake Rosemary, even posting many videos on social media, showing us every aspect of his room and the packages that he's getting and the food that he's eating, saying that he is doing well. That seems to be the case for everyone in this unit. And it also includes the doctor who identified himself as the person who tested positive. or mildly positive, that doctor who was not in the capacity of a doctor, per se, on the ship,

had told us previously that he stepped into help at the time so that essentially he would help people on the ship when people started becoming ill. So he is a person in the biocontainment unit, and he spoke out saying that he is feeling great, but he does understand that there is this incubation period, meaning he could develop symptoms later on. But the CDC today is saying that he is being retested. And Kate, they do expect some of these test results within a day or two. All right. More to come. Camila Bernal, thank you. Appreciate it. Turning to Florida now and the dramatic rescue after a small plane went down in the Atlantic Ocean, an Air Force rescue team saving all 11 people clinging onto a raft. Jesse Kirsch has the video.

This is the moment U.S. Air Force pararescumen and saved 11 Bahamia. whose plane crashed. They were stranded in the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 80 miles from the Florida coast, a thunderstorm moving in. Video edited and just released by the U.S. military shows the operation in detail. For all those people to survive is pretty miraculous. The American military says flying between Bahamian Islands Tuesday morning, the group's twin-engine prop plane reportedly experienced engine failure crashing into the water. That's when an emergency beacon alerted the U.S. military. And luckily, the Air Force, was already flying in the general area for a training mission.

We had the less known position, went out there, plugged in our GPS, and started our search pattern. And within about a minute, we found the raft. Remarkably, everyone on board the plane survived. They'd been stuck in a raft for about five hours. You could tell just by looking at them that, you know, they were in distress physically, mentally and emotionally. They didn't have communications, so they didn't even know that we were coming until we were directly overhead. The Air Force dropping a survival kit with food, water, and extra rafts. Then these highly trained divers helped hoist all 11 people to safety. The U.S. military says the Coast Guard also helped with the rescue.

And once everyone was hoisted out of the water, they were back on land in about 30 minutes. And now on Top Story's news feeds starting in Los Angeles, where a licensed drug counselor was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the overdose death of Matthew Perry. Eric Fleming pleaded guilty to distributing the ketamine that killed the actor back in 2023. He is now the fourth person to be sentenced in connection with Matthew Perry's death. In Michigan, video showing suspects trying to burn down a cannabis shop only to end up burning themselves. Take a look, an SUV slamming into the store with two people hopping out, while one of them steals products. The other is dousing the place with gasoline.

As the shop goes up in flames, the suspects run out, but one of them looks, look is on fire. Investigators are now offering a $25,000 reward for any tips that could lead to arrests. And an update on those Trump mobile phones. After months of delays, the company now says the gold-colored devices will start shipping this week. It costs just under $500 and people who pre-ordered them put down $100 deposit. It's been almost a year since the company first announced the wireless service, but since then customers have struggled to get answers. about when that phone would actually be released. Also tonight, the sentencing for a Utah mother convicted of killing her husband.

Corey Richens wrote a children's book about grief a year after her husband's death. Here's NBC's Morgan Chesky. Accordingly, Ms. Richens, based on your conviction on count one, first-degree felony aggravated murder, the court hereby sentences you to life without parole. Corey Richens, the Utah mother convicted of murdering her husband, listened to her fate in silence. The sentence coming after hours of emotional testimony from the family of her deceased husband, Eric, on what would have been his 44th birthday. Eric's boys lost a father. I lost my son.

Richon's demeanor shifting wildly, making animated faces, rolling her eyes, and even laughing as family members spoke. But the most piercing moments came from her three sons. Their statements read aloud by their therapists. I want her to go to prison forever. I don't want you out of jail because I will not feel safe if you are out. A jury found Richens guilty of murder in March. That's what happened today.

Prosecutors sharing body cam of the night Eric died, accusing Richens of poisoning his cocktail with fentanyl. His body, Richens, so cold. Authorities arrested Richens a year later, as she promoted a book she wrote on dealing with grief. Before the sentencing, Richens addressed the court for 40 minutes, reading a message directed at her children. I will appeal and fight these charges, no matter how long it takes.

I will never quit fighting my way home to you, boys. And tonight, following those victim statements from her sons, Richens' attorney said that her letters from prison to them have all since come back unopened. Kate. Morgan Chesky, thank you. Coming up, the chaotic scene inside the Philippines Senate, gunfire erupting, sending people scrambling. Plus, will ICE agents be at World Cup matches here in the U.S.? Our exclusive reporting about that up next.

Back now with political chaos in the Philippines, the sound of gunfire ringing out in the country's Senate building. It comes as a senator who is accused of war crimes faces arrest. Here's Ralph Sanchez. Tonight, the thunder of gunfire in the Philippines Senate. building, sending a crowd of journalists running in fear as heavily armed troops take up firing positions in the darkened hallways. The shooting, the climax of a bizarre three-day standoff, which began when police tried to arrest this man, Senator Ronald Delarosa, wanted by the International Criminal Court

for alleged crimes against humanity. Law enforcement attempted to take him into custody on Monday, but you can see him on this CCTV fleeing with his aides, at one point tripping on the stairs before reaching his office and locking himself in. Today, he held a press conference, denying the allegations and urging authorities to ignore the ICC warrant, also calling on his supporters to block his arrest. It isn't clear who fired the shots, and there are no reports of anyone. hurt. Footage shot by a Philippine media outlet seems to show police and soldiers inside the building. But the country's president later insisting the government did not send its forces into

the Senate and wasn't planning to arrest De La Rosa. We agree that the thing to do now is to tell our people all to calm down and we will get to the bottom of this. De La Rosa was a senior police officer who served under President Rodrigo Deterre, whose war on drugs. led to the killing of thousands of people, according to human rights groups. Duterte was arrested last year and is now waiting trial at the ICC in the Hague on charges of murder, torture, and rape. Allegations he denies. De La Rosa could join him there, depending on how this standoff plays out. And the government in the Philippines tonight saying that wanted senator is safe and with security

personnel but is not under arrest. He has filed an appeal with the country's Supreme Court to block any potential extradition. Kate. Rafe Sanchez for us. Ref, thanks so much. Staying overseas with Top Story's Global Watch, torrential rains in Turkey leading to rescues and destructive flooding. This is in northern Turkey here along the country's Black Sea coast. You can see the streets totally flooded, cars swept away, homes and businesses damaged by the water. Turkish state media reports at least 12 people have been hospitalized with minor injuries. Dramatic video showing the moment a car drove into customers at a cafe in Australia. In this video obtained by our partners at 7 News, ooh, you see the car ram into the outdoor dining

area there, carrying one woman with the car, knocking over another. They were taken to the hospital. They're in stable condition, we're told. Authorities say this incident was not intentional, and the driver is not expected to be charged. And some popular products by a Japanese snack maker are getting a packaging refresh, but not necessarily the way you would think. 14 products by Japanese company Calbee will temporarily have that black and white packaging, you see there. The company is saying it's turning to monotone because of an ink shortage caused by the war with Iran. The new packaging starts hitting shelves May 25th.

Next tonight to our exclusive reporting with the World Cup. less than a month away, we're now learning that federal officers who arrest immigrants could be at those matches across the U.S. Officials tell NBC News ICE is offering to help beef up security similar to their roles at the Super Bowl and Kentucky Derby. Let's bring in senior homeland security correspondent Julia Ainsley, who broke this story. So, Julia, what else would ICE agents be doing at World Cup games? Well, Kate, it would be at the discretion of those local law enforcement agencies and perhaps

some other federal agencies who would be. be responsible for securing the matches. So it could look differently in each place, including whether or not they would wear uniforms with ice emblazoned on them. What they won't be doing, though, at least in a security capacity, is asking for immigration status. It was very clear to me from the DHS officials I spoke to. They would be deputized as police rather than as ICE officers, even if typically their job is to arrest and make deportations. FIFA has not yet responded to this reporting, but DHS said in the statement that they do stand ready to provide. security and that the only people who should be worried are people who are not legally allowed to be in the country.

And, Julia, there's also been a major leadership shakeup at ICE. Can you tell us about the new acting director? That's right. We heard Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, was stepping down at the end of the month. And we now know who will be taking his place. That's David Venturella, who has been serving as Lyons Senior Advisor. He previously served under other administrations, such as the Bush administration and Obama administration at ICE, and also had a stint in the the private sector at Geo Group. They're the largest private prison owners in the United States, and they own the number, the largest number of ICE detention centers in the United States. So he does have experience with detention and in the private sector, but the most,

the largest part of his career has been spent at ICE. And he's largely seen as a safe bet who will keep ICE from being in the headlines in the same way that they were in Minneapolis earlier this year. Julia Ansley, with that, thank you. After the break, collaboration that has people lining up for days for a pocket watch, why this one is so special, and what the people camping out told us. Stay with us. Finally, tonight, a new collection of watches has fans lining up on the street, hoping to get their hands on one as the release ticks closer. Our Stephen Romo dives into the frenzy.

The industry is making a comeback, a comeback on the strength of something called a swatch. It's a new spin on a blackout. from the past with a big luxury brand upgrade. High-end Swiss watchmaker, Ottomar Pigae is teaming up with 80s watch icon swatch for a new line of collectible timepieces called Royal Pop. And Pop, they do. Eight different models in bright, bold colors set to go on sale only in select swatch stores starting Saturday. That is still days away, but already fans are lining up. Luxury watch releases don't usually include people lining up for days waiting to get a chance to buy one, but that's what we have here.

It's something way more similar to a sneaker drop or even something very Gen Z like the Lubu. I've been here since May 11th. That's several days straight to be here, so you seem like you better get that watch, right? Man, I better get that watch. Excitement and opinions are pouring in online. Love it or hit. It is definitely caused a stir. Everyone was waiting five days outside of the store for this. I'm a swatch lover and I am going to go to stand outside the store right now, actually.

Swatch has done high profile collaborations before, including with watch brands Omega and Blanc Pond. These pocket watches come with a roughly $400 price tag, which may seem steep for essentially a plastic timepiece, but a typical automar pigae can cost tens of thousands of dollars at least. It is like the ultimate expression of high-low. Odomar-Bige is a very high-up, really well-thought-of-luxury, fancy, very expensive brand, whereas swatch is much more entry-level, kind of fun, almost tacky, but in a fun way. Fun, these fans are willing to wait for around the clock. Stephen Romo, NBC News, New York.

Stephen, thank you, and thank you so much for watching Top Story. I'm Kate Snow in New York in for Tom Yamas. Stay right there. More news now on the way.