Top Story with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Episode Date: November 20, 2025

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

Tonight, the former Olympic snowboarder turn-a-ledged drug kingpin now wanted for murder. Authorities hunting former Olympian Ryan Wedding, accusing him of ordering a hit on a federal witness and running one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations in the world. The new reward for his capture as he sits on the FBI's most wanted list. Also tonight, President Trump set to sign the bill to force the release of the Epstein files. So how much of it will be made public and why it won't be released immediately? The new photos of Jets player Chris Boyd from his hospital bed after he was shot in Manhattan with the Jets head coach just revealed about his condition.

Gunfire erupted inside a church in Nigeria, worshippers running for cover. President Trump says Christians are being targeted, but those inside the country say it's more complicated. We're going to explain. Offstage drama taking center stage at Miss Universe. Two judges resigning, one accusing the competition of being rigged. what's really happening. Thieves stealing a truck right out of the owner's driveway will show you the new technology they're using to get inside and how to protect yourself. And home court meal,

the rookie NBA player, bringing the whole team back to mom's house for dinner, how it fueled their appetite to win. Plus, Navidia's highly anticipated earnings report just released what it signals as fears spread across Wall Street of an AI bubble. Top story starts right now. Good evening tonight. The international manhunt for the former Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug kingpin and suspected murderer. It was more than 20 years ago that Ryan Wedding represented Canada on the slopes near Salt Lake City, all part of their snowboarding team in the 2002 Olympics. But in the decade since, he's been accused of running a transnational drug ring, earning the nickname El Hefe, and now accused of ordering the murder of a federal. witness who was set to testify against him. Earlier this year, he was named one of the FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives, and today officials raising their bounty to 15 million bucks for any

information that leads to his capture or conviction. Attorney General Pam Bondi saying today he's responsible for smuggling roughly 60 tons of cocaine a year from Mexico into L.A. Authorities say they've already indicted dozens of suspects in the case, look at all that coke there, and seized more than 2,000 kilos. But the man at the center of the operation has so far eluded them. Here's what he looks like. Today, the FBI director lichening riding wedding to Pablo Escobar, even El Chapo, notorious drug kingpins of the past. Our Morgan Chesky leads us off tonight with the latest. Tonight, a growing hunt for former Olympian Ryan Wedding. Authorities now offering 15 million dollars for any tip that could capture the alleged drug kingpin. Ryan Wedding is a modern day

iteration of Pablo Escobar. He's a modern day iteration of El Chapo Guzman. The former snowboarder facing new federal charges in the FBI's operation giant slalom, accusing him of ordering the murder of a federal witness in Colombia, testifying on wedding's alleged role running a massive transnational drug ring. The witness was gunned down in a restaurant in Medellin before he could testify against wedding. The DOJ announcing 10 arrests in the murder plot. But, say the 44-year-old remains at large in Mexico, protected by the powerful Sinolaa cartel who authorities say he worked closely with to traffic an estimated 60 tons of cocaine from Mexico

into Los Angeles each year. It's killing our kids. It's killing our friends. It's killing our relatives. And this guy is responsible for a tremendous amount of that horror. Wedding, who competed at the 2002 Winter Games for Canada, was added to the FBI's 10 most wanted last March. So far, federal authorities have indicted 35 suspects, seizing over 2,000 kilos of cocaine, $3 million in cryptocurrency, and $13 million in assets. Tonight, the Attorney General says Mexican authorities are helping in their ongoing investigation. All right, Morgan Chesky joins us tonight live. Morgan, officials say wedding may have changed his appearance. Yeah, Tom, that's right. They say since going into hiding in Mexico, he may have altered his hair color or other traits

of his physical appearance, and may also be going by several aliases, including El Hefe, Giant, and Public Enemy here. Public Enemy, quite the nickname there. Morgan, do we know how he went from Olympic snowboarder to a drug kingpin? It didn't happen overnight. After competing in the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, authorities say that he went back to Canada, where several years later he began growing marijuana. He was not ever charged with that, Tom, but it was shortly thereafter.

that he began working with cocaine smugglers of which he was charged by U.S. authorities and sentenced to a brief stint in prison. After being released, it's at that point authorities understand that he went to Mexico and started building those cartel ties that as of right now are still strong. Tom? Morgan Chesky, leading us off tonight here on Top Story. Morgan, we thank you. We want to move on now to our other major headline. The president expected to sign that bill compelling the Justice Department to release the Epstein files. But questions remain just on how much of that material will actually be released. Our Hallie Jackson reports on it from Washington.

President Trump now set to sign a bill to force the release of Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein, starting the clock for the DOJ, with 30 days to comply. We will continue to follow the law with maximum transparency while protecting victims. But how much material, if any, could become public? While the bill compels the department to share records like flight logs, sealed settlements, and more. It contains caveats, letting the DOJ redact files for victims' privacy and withhold certain information that would jeopardize an active federal investigation, like the one opened days ago after the president directed the attorney general to look into Democrats' connections

to the late sex offender. What makes you confident that you may actually see the public release of these Epstein files? Because I don't think the American people will settle for anything less. The DOJ said back in July, it did not uncover evidence to warrant charging anyone else. Attorney General Pam Bondi was asked today, what changed? There's information that new information, additional information. That could include material from the Epstein estate, some released last week by the House, including emails between Epstein and former Harvard President and Clinton Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, who today stepped down from the Board of Open AI. He's not been accused of involvement in Epstein's crimes. The now public documents also showed Democratic delegate

Stacey Plaskett, who represents the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein had a home, had texted with him during a 2019 hearing as she questioned President Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen. Epstein, writing, Cohen brought up Rona, Keeper of the Secrets. Plaskett, later responding, quick, I'm up next. Is that an acronym? And then? Ms. Rona. What is Ms. Rona's? Rona graph is the Mr. Trump's executive assistant. And would she be able to corroborate many of the statements that you've made here? Epstein texting her, good work. Plaskett now defending herself and calling Epstein's actions reprehensible.

I believe that Jeffrey Epstein had information, and I was going to get information to get it the truth. Having a friendship with him is not something that I would deem to have. Hallie Jackson joins us tonight from Washington. You know, Hallie, a lot of people out there want to know what are going to be in the Epstein files. The anticipation, you can say, is sort of building, but people may not get everything that they're hoping for, right? It's such a good point, Tom, and I think it's important. Listen, we can do some expectations setting here. Oh, you know, listen, we don't know what's in them, but here's the deal. Because of those caveats that we mentioned there, Tom, it is entirely possible that the Justice Department could release very limited information, very limited material.

If that happens, of course, there may be some political fallout. You look at polling on some of this, and it shows, as you and I have talked about, that the majority of Americans have consistently said they support the release of more documents related to the Epstein case. And then, Hallie, while we have you here, I know we kind of talked about this yesterday, but walk us through again the process of how they'll be released. Well, I will say, you know, we did get more information on that today, Tom. So this is kind of a new live ball because of what we heard from the Attorney General Pam Bondi. I think it was notable that she took a couple of questions related to this.

during that story that you just covered with Morgan when she was rolling out everything about that ex-Olympian snowboarder. And, you know, notable that she said, her department will comply with the law and talked about this idea of maximum transparency. Now, there are so some questions about the literal process, like did they redact the materials already? How is that going to go? But I will also say there are some questions, too, related to, for example, some of these rules around grand jury secrecy. The text of this bill as written doesn't really get into the that explicitly. So there's some interesting legal gray areas here that will watch unfold over the course of the next days and weeks, Tom. Okay, Hallie Jackson for us. Hallie, great to see you.

We have new developments tonight in the case against former FBI director James Comey. Prosecutors today revealing they made a potentially serious paperwork error that we're about to show you. Laura Jarrett joins us now live. Laura, this is pretty crazy. This error could lead to this whole indictment being tossed out. Yeah, I think the Justice Department tonight in a new filing is sort of just missing this as a technicality. But Tom, it may tank the entire case. It all stems from the fact that there is a mismatch between the indictment that was filed with the court, the final indictment against the former FBI director, and the original indictment. And you can see this in charging papers. If you take a look at what is the

report of the grand jury's failure to indict on one of the charges of a false statement to Congress, you can see there as to count one only. So they were trying to scribble in the fact that there were changes made, but they never actually presented the final report to the grand jury. And that's the thing that they have to vote on. And so that's why his lawyers are saying, wait, wait, wait, the grand jury didn't actually vote on anything. There is no indictment

because it wasn't the thing that they signed on to. And so that's why this could potentially be a disaster for the Justice Department. And I think it underscores, Tom, why the fact that you have somebody who has never tried a case as a prosecutor is being pointed out

as potentially the downfall against one of the president's prime targets. That new USA attorney. I do want to ask you something else. We're hearing some of the main arguments from Comey's legal team. They're using the phrase, vindictive prosecution. We know that President Trump has had a history against Comey. Could this be a

viable defense? That's my first question. My second question is, could this come back to haunt President Trump? We always knew that President Trump's own words in this case were going to be a major problem. He has made no secret about his disdain for James Comey. But Comey's point today, at least made by his attorneys. And mind you, he has very experienced attorneys. The person who's arguing in this case has argued more than 100 cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. And they're there in court saying, He's made clear how he feels about Comey, and you can want to fire Comey, but what you can't do is prosecute him for speaking out against the president. That violates his First Amendment rights, and so that's why they say it dooms his case. And the judge was taking the prosecutors to task for this, Tom, saying essentially is Lindsay Halligan, the U.S. Attorney here, a puppet for the president?

DOJ pushing back very strongly against that. But I think you were eventually going to see this case dismiss on the basis of vindictive prosecution. Now, whether that holds up on appeal, it'll eventually go to SCOTUS is an issue, but I think this judge is going to dismiss this case. That would happen? Is there a timeline? He's saying it's going to take a minute. So it's not going to happen like this week. He's saying this is really complicated, so he wants to wait. He knows it's going to get appealed. So he's going to write up something really thin. And a lot of attention either way. Okay, Laura Jarrett, thank you for explaining that one. We're going to head overseas now to that major attack on Ukraine. A Russian strike hitting an apartment building in the western part of the country, killing dozens as American officials in the country pushed to restart peace talks. NBC's Keir Simmons, following it all. is a devastating Russian strike on Kharkiv in Ukraine, suffering one of its deadliest nights. In Turnipill, officials say 26 killed, including three children. In daylight, still fighting fires and tears, desperate loved ones searched. Has anyone been pulled from the debris, this woman asks? Ukraine's President Zelensky, writing once again the Russians have killed innocent,

peaceful people who were simply sleeping in their beds. While today, an effort to restart peace talks and discuss military strategy. U.S. army leaders, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, making a surprise trip to Kiev, according to two U.S. officials, a European official and a source close to the Ukrainian government. President Trump today recounting a call with Vladimir Putin, where he says the Russian leader brought up Trump's efforts at peace in other regions of the war. I said, don't worry about that. Just let me settle your freaking war.

Okay, don't, you'll have to help me. I don't need any help. I need help with your war. Okay, with that, Kierre Simmons joins us tonight. Keir, any update on how these peace talks would work? And this plan, obviously, approved by the president, but needs to be approved by both Zelensky and Putin. That's right, Tom.

And three U.S. officials tell NBC news that Steve Wiccoff, for President Trump's envoy has put together this 28-point peace plan, working with the Russians, but there are questions over whether the Ukrainians will agree to it. If, for example, it proposes that all of that region of Dombas is handed to the Russians, if, for example, it puts limits on the size of the Ukrainian army, it's difficult to see how Keev would accept something like that, and it does appear, according to reporting tonight,

that they still have to be consulted or are being consulted or in that process. So there are those questions. And remember that Steve Wickoff is the same envoy who came to the Trump administration before that meeting between President Trump and President Putin that in the end did not lead to a peace deal. That being said, President Zelensky is facing a serious corruption scandal

in his government. And there are suggestions tonight that he is weakened by that, and that might mean that he might be prepared to compromise in ways that he perhaps hasn't been in the past. But of course, no matter what the Ukrainian president says, it is also a question of what the Ukrainian people would agree to. Tom? All right, Keir Simmons first, Keir, we thank you for that. Now to Money Talks and some breaking news from the world's most valuable company. Computer chipmaker Navidia beating Wall Street expectations in a critical earnings report. The CEO says sales of its current generation chips are, quote, off the charts. The company closing at $186 per share today, fueling much of that growth, massive deals to finance and supply

chips to AI companies. Think OpenAI, Google, Meta, Anthropic, CNBC contributor and publisher of the message of the markets on Substack, Ron Insana, a good friend of Top Story joins us live. Ron, good to see you. Break it down for our viewers here. That may not be Wall Street insiders. Why was this so closely watched and why did Navidia deliver for its investors? Well, you know, every bull market has a bellwether stock and Nvidia happens to be the one this time around, which has a market value of nearly $5 trillion. It's the first company to have crossed that barrier. So it's a very important stock in not only in the stock market, but in the world of artificial intelligence, providing, as you indicated, those computer chips that go out to a wide

variety of companies that are building out AI infrastructure. So the fact that they blew away earnings expectations, they topped their revenue estimates on Wall Street and are trading about 5% higher in after hours action tonight is also pushing the Dowd the S&P and the NASDAQ higher in after hours trading as well. The NASDAQ up about one and a half percent, thanks to NVIDIA's blowout quarter as it were. A lot of people are saying this is a good gauge, and I'm not saying this, but people are trying to say this is a good gauge of the American economy, and they're not necessarily right, but it is showing something, right? Maybe the AI bubble fears aren't there? Well, I think that's open to debate over time. I mean, whether or not these stocks have gotten

too far ahead of themselves with respect to their future earnings potential is an open question. Right now, most of the companies are delivering on the promised earnings and revenues that they've talked about this year. Down the road, different story. A bubble. is a unique thing. We do have a lot of individuals who are trading these stocks. And so we do have some frothiness in the market. And the AI spend, the infrastructure spend taking place right now is propping up the economy. The Atlanta Federal Reserve, for instance, estimates a third quarter economic growth is about 4.1 percent annualized. Some of that, a good part of that comes from the AI infrastructure build and the top 20 percent of all income earners are driving consumer spending.

So we have two areas propping up the economy, but we do have some underlying weakness. in the labor market and in other industries that people should take note of. You know, a lot of news was made because famous investor Michael Burry of the big short fame, he's played by Christian Bail, recently announced he's now he was shorting Navidia, an investment giant soft bank sold all of its Navidia stock to go all in on OpenAI. Is there a growing concern on the street that despite all these big name deals, like you mentioned just now, Navidia might be overvalued? Well, there is that concern.

I mean, you know, taking one person's point of view or even two, people's point of view at a particular time. With respect to SoftBank, they were making a switch in their investment lineup, if you will. Michael is short, both that, Invidia and Palantir, another AI and cybersecurity stock. He runs about $150 million. He was right about the collapse of the real estate and credit markets in 2008, but he's not the only voice. I mean, there are others who are suggesting that this cycle is not yet done. So I think we have to have to to be careful in taking just one person's word for what's going to happen. Clearly, there are concerns about the financing of the purchases of these chips and how infrastructure is going

to get billed out with a combination of cash from the big companies and from a lot of debt that's being used as well. But it's impossible to say that whether or not this is the exact point at which we're either in a bubble or the bubble is about to pop. Another major concern circular dealing among AI's biggest players, right? A recent example involved in the Nvidia, investing in Anthropic, in exchange for, I think, anthropic buying Navidia's computing power. Do deals like that worry you? Yeah, absolutely. This so-called circular financing or vendor financing is something that we saw during the Internet

bubble in the late 1990s. It works on the way up. Should the companies stop growing and they can't finance these deals any longer? The leverage, if you will, works on the way down as well and undermines the value of all these companies and could hurt them somewhere down the road. Ron and Sana, real smart guy. He's read all those books you see behind them. He would not appear in front of those books unless he read all of them. All right, Ron, good to see you. We thank you, my friend. All right, we're back in a moment with the auto theft caught on camera, how thieves are using new technology to pull off these

heights. This is wild. You've got to watch this. And what you can do to now protect your car. Plus, a major update from that New York Jets player shot outside of a Manhattan restaurant. What we're learning about his condition and the search for the gunman, plus the photo he just released. And the dramatic rescue at sea, look at the sufficient crew teaming up with the Coast Guard to help save multiple people left stranded after their boat sank. We'll show you that video ahead on Top Story. We're back now with an exclusive report brought to us by our NBC4 Los Angeles station, an auto theft caught on camera showing how thieves are using new technology to steal

cars right out of suburban driveways. Here's Alex Ruggier. Surveillance video shows someone breaking into this truck and stealing it in a matter of seconds. But it's how they pulled it off that has people in Anaheim Hills talking. It's very bad. I mean, it's really shocking. It is pretty frightening to think that someone could get into somebody's vehicle that quickly. You're seeing crews of three to four. Anaheim police detective Heather Skaglione says people are using new technology to steal high-end cars and trucks. In this case, they stole a truck with help from a tablet made for locksmiths.

Watch again. So you see him walk up to the car. First he does, he actually checks the handle. He checks the handle first, sees the car is locked. So then he heads over to the back window, and he uses a window punch to break it. Once it happens because there's tent on the windows, the window stays intact and he's able to peel it off and then climb it. And then he's being handed a locksmith tool, a computer device that plugs into the computer system in the car. so you can quickly reprogram it and turn the car on so we can leave with that truck.

Anaheim police say the other way people are stealing cars and trucks involves the use of an antenna while standing in a doorway. Sergeant Matt Sutter says they are targeting newer cars and trucks with keyless entry key fobs. That key fob is constantly sending out a signal so that when you walk up to the car, it just opens right up for you. They hold an antenna up near the house trying to pick up the signal from your key fob that's inside your house. Once they pick up that signal, they send it to somebody standing by the car, opens the car right up, gets in, push the start button, and off they go.

Alex Rozier joins us now live from Los Angeles. So Alex, Alex, walk us through what viewers can do to protect themselves. Yeah, Tom, to protect themselves from high-tech heist like you're seeing in this story, police say you can do a couple of things, including a Faraday bag like this. If you put your key fob in a Faraday bag, it's going to block the signal so they won't be able to access your vehicle. if it is inside that key fob, inside that Faraday bag, or store your keys a little bit further away from your front door. If you want something a little lower tech, you can do something like a wheel lock or a club. Police tell me yesterday, if you have that, they're more likely to just

keep it moving to the next vehicle if a thief were to come through your neighborhood. I actually made a joke about the club today, but I guess it is still a very good tool. Good to know that thing's still going decades later. While we have you here, Alex, it looked like a lot of those crooks had some really high-tech sort of tools. But are these things that you can just kind of pick up anywhere? Yeah, and it's something that's specifically sold to locksmiths. These tools are intended for locksmiths, but it seems though people can purchase them legally and now we're seeing them get into the hands of the wrong people.

But yes, ultimately, they're intended for the use of locksmiths. But now here in Southern California, they've been used unfortunately by some criminals. Yeah, have you seen anybody walking around with a crazy antenna in your neighborhood, know what they're up to. Alex, we thank you for joining Top Story tonight. Exactly. Okay, now to a close call in New Jersey, a Law and Order actor who usually plays a bad guy in TV, got the chance to be a real-life hero when he stopped a potential abduction near his home. NBC New York reporter Ida Siegel has more. I thought we were going to throw it down right there, but the cops were all around.

George Picassia is one of those actors who often gets cast as the bad guy on shows like Law and Order, the Sopranos. This guy asked me to, said he'd buy it. All I had to do was point and shoot. But he will never forget the real-life crime he thwarted outside his Jersey City home a couple weeks ago. The guy was just insisting on trying to get this girl to go with him. George says he saw a 19-year-old girl stumbling down the street with her cousin, visibly

intoxicated, and a strange man who he says was about to kidnap her. She was under five feet herself, and this guy was probably about six, two. And he took the by the hand and pulled them down the street. Yeah, this man was trying to abduct this woman, and he's running down to Hancock Avenue. On the 911 tapes, obtained by TMZ, you can hear George threaten the man. Where you go, motherfucker? Where are you going? But it was his wife who first noticed something wasn't right and told George to follow them. He said to her, no dejke te yamma the police, which is don't let them call the police because they will detain you.

Basically, he was threatening like ICE would come and. and deport her. George says once they made it to Bower Street, he saw that man hoist the girl onto his shoulder. And he knew at that point, things had escalated for the worse. That's when I, you know,

I demanded to the guy, told him to put the girl down, demanded that he put her down. They both said that they didn't know this guy. He picked her up, put her on his shoulder and tried to run away with her. And I called and I yelled and put her the fuck down. And he dropped her like like a sack of potatoes dropped her and then he ran back this way and I chased after him.

By then police arrived and the girl was okay but the man got away. George now being hailed a hero, even getting this letter of appreciation from President Trump. I usually play a bad guy, you know, but it was a lot more rewarding to be a real life, you know, good guy, you know. In Jersey City, Ida Siegel, News 4, New York. Okay, coming up, later in the broadcast, a strange twist in the death of an 18-year-old cheerleader found on a cruise ship why investigators could be focusing in on her own family.

Plus, new controversy surrounding the Miss Universe contest by multiple judges just called it quits days before the beauty pageant. But first, top stories, top moment, and Haiti qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in more than 50 years. the team defeating Nicaragua to punch their ticket, and their reaction is priceless. But now it is. It's over. Haiti have got the news. Haiti, for the first time since 1974, are going. Yes, sir, they are going to the World Cup. Celebrations not only in the field, but people in Haiti's capital celebrating in the streets,

It's a rare moment of levity inside the gang-controlled region because of the ongoing violence. The team was forced to play their games hundreds of miles away. A reminder, you can watch Haiti and the rest of the teams who qualified at this World Cup this summer on both Telemundo and Peacock. We can't wait. Stay with us. More news on the way. We're back down with the Trump administration ramping up its immigration crackdown. in Charlotte, where dramatic videos capture people running from federal agents. Border Patrol

now says it arrested more than 250 people. NBC's Julia Ainsley is there. Tonight, chaotic scenes like this, playing out across Charlotte. This surveillance video capturing people fleeing a laundromat as federal agents arrive. A man texted his family this video shot inside a Border Patrol van to let them know he'd been detained. Another man wrestled to the ground inside a fast food restaurant under construction. Border Patrol says it is arrested more than 250 people five days into its immigration crack down here. He's breaking the window. He's got a missile rifle pointed at her. It's unclear how many of those people have criminal records.

This woman, a legal permanent resident, said she was questioned by Border Patrol and asked for her papers at the bank. The target was to go after criminals. are not doing that. They are after good people. My legs were shaking, and I had documents, she tells us. Many in Charlotte's Hispanic communities say they're scared to leave their homes. They're just staying home, even to do groceries. They're locked in for their own safety. Erica tells us one man at her church is afraid to leave home for life-saving kidney dialysis. Some North Carolinians welcoming the enforcement. Renee White drove more than two hours to show her support for immigration agents. I was able to pick up a couple of dozen of donuts and some coffee.

and to let them know that I supported them. And I totally support what they're doing in Charlotte. Is this what you voted for? Yes, it is. Yep. I voted for it in 2016. I voted for it in 2020, and I voted for it in 2024. All right, Julia Ainsley joins us tonight from Charlotte, North Carolina, reporting there on the ground.

Julie, as you detailed in your report with some community members afraid to leave the house, others are not stepping up. Yeah, it's amazing, Tom. We've seen those numbers grow. On Monday night, 300 people gathered here at D. Wilworth, Methodist Church. The same team is training people on what to do if they want to help immigrants in their community by spotting border patrol, ways they can get involved without causing violence. Those numbers have grown tonight, Tom. Over a thousand people signed up to come here. They even had to turn some away and tell them to come back another night. These are not Latinos.

This is Charlotte's non-Latino population and a very affluent neighborhood showing up to figure out how they can support. Angelie for us, Julia. Thank you. An update tonight from New York Jets cornerback, Chris Boyd, after he was shot outside a New York City restaurant over the weekend. Boyd posting this photo on Instagram, showing him in a hospital bed, saying his recovery is coming along and that he's starting to breathe on his own. I want to bring in Stephen Romo, who's been following this for us. Steve, what more do we know about Boyd's condition? This clearly is a good sign. Yeah, it's an incredible update. I've been covering this since it broke on Sunday. Things looked really dire at

first. Police saying that that bullet was lodged in his lung at the time. He was was rushed to the hospital. We learned today that he is now in critical but stable condition, that reporting from the AP. But seeing this post on Instagram, I could not believe whenever I opened his story and saw this. It's very encouraging to see this that he's praising God for where he is right now and saying that he's grateful. It's incredible. Yep. We know the Jets are responding, including the coach. What do you say? Yeah, he actually got to talk to Boyd today, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, saying that he was also encouraged by what he heard. Here's more of what he had to say. What eases my mind is that he's in good spirits, his wife and this kid, you know, they're in good spirits, and he'll walk away from this just fine.

So Glenn is also saying it's not clear at all yet when Boyd will actually be let out of the hospital, but he too is just so encouraged to see how much improvement he's already been able to make. He was able to actually speak to him, which is incredible. Any update on the suspect? Yeah, a great question. They released images of this suspect on Monday the day after this happened. NYPD did. You can see him there, the person they want to talk to about this. He ran off immediately after the shooting, which happened in the early hours of Sunday in Midtown Manhattan right now. The NYPD saying the motive is not clear. They're also saying it's not even entirely clear

that Boyd was the intended target of this, but they're certainly looking for that person talking. Okay. Thank you for the update. Good to see it too. Romo. Now to Top Stories News Feed and an update on the investigation into that botulism outbreak linked to baby formula. New data from the CDC and FDA shows at least 31 infants have now been hospitalized after drinking formula from by heart. The cases span across 15 states. The company has issued a nationwide recall for the product and says safety is its highest priority. Authorities in Colorado releasing new video of what they say shows the driver of a stolen bus nearly slamming into police on the highway. You see the suspect driving down the road before swerving into another lane, almost clipping an officer and their cruiser.

The incident happened last month, but the clear creek shape. sheriff's office just posted this footage and is asking for help, identifying that suspect. The Coast Guard is crediting a fishing crew for helping save four people stranded in the ocean off the coast of Washington State. You can see them being lifted up to a helicopter. The fishing crew says they found the men in the freezing water after their boat sank. One of them was apparently unconscious, but they got him breathing again after performing CPR. All of them suffered from hypothermia, but were told they're expected to be okay. And a solid gold toilet selling for more than 12 million bucks at auction here in New York.

The 18-carat gold toilet is fully functioning entitled America. It's Italian artist Mauricio Catalan says the piece is meant to mock the ultra-rich. You might recall his other work. When the banana, he duct taped to a wall sold for $6 million. This guy's pretty smart. Okay, next tonight to the mysterious death of a teen on a cruise ship. New details indicate that the FBI may be looking into one of the women's step-siblings as a suspect. NBC's Jesse Kirsch has this report.

18-year-old Anna Kepner was on this carnival cruise ship with her family when she died suddenly on November 7th. Now court filings allege one of those family members, Kepner's 16-year-old stepbrother, is a suspect in her death. The documents filed by his parents, part of an unrelated civil case about their former marriage. According to one document, Ketner's stepmother, Shantel Hudson, was advised through discussions with FBI investigators and her. her attorneys that a criminal case may be initiated against one of her children. Hudson's 16-year-old son now living with a relative to ensure the safety of the family's other children. Kepner's father and stepmother have not responded to NBC News's requests for comment. CBS News reports

a housekeeper found Kepner's body under a bed in her state room, citing law enforcement sources. After Anna Kepner died on the Carnival Horizon, the cruise ship returned to Port Miami where I am right now. FBI started investigating. But that was almost two weeks ago, and authorities still have not announced her cause of death. The FBI says it won't comment about an ongoing investigation. Tonight, the high school senior and cheerleader remembered as a bubbly and funny teen who loved dolphins and arts and crafts. Her family and friends will gather to celebrate her life tomorrow. And tonight, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation tells NBC News that the medical examiner's report could be released as early as tomorrow.

Tom? All right, Jesse Kirsch for us. Jesse, we thank you for that. Now to our series, The Cost of Denial, where we focus on the challenges so many Americans face with their insurance plans. Tonight, the patients whose plans will only pay for their cheaper medication first, as opposed to the ones their doctor recommended, and what happened for one patient when our Maggie Vespa investigated?

It's been eating away at what is an assessment. part of me. Diagnosed early last year with multiple sclerosis, Wisconsin-based artist Serena Hostvett says her symptoms are the worst they've ever been. Tremors in her hands making it hard to work. It feels like parts of you are disappearing. MS is a chronic illness in which the body's immune system attacks the protective covering around nerves, causing numbness, trouble walking or seeing, and other issues.

At times, language eludes Serena. What's it called? When you're comparing something to something else, an analogy. See you like that. Couldn't find it. Her doctors at the Mayo Clinic requested her insurer, Anthem Blue Cross, cover an infusion medication called Oak Revis, which treats relapsing forms of MS.

This is the first denial letter. Anthem Blue Cross denied Serena's coverage. Elevance Health, which owns Anthem Blue Cross, telling us doctors did not include medical records showing she had completed the required step therapies. Step therapy also referred to as fail first is when insurers require patients try less expensive drugs before approving one with a higher price tag. What do you think of that concept? I think it's ridiculous. Medication should be given based on need, not based on what it costs. The list price for Okravis is nearly $80,000 a year. One alternative the insurance

company put forward is less than $1,000 a year. The twist, Serena had already tried it and had a severe allergic reaction. She says her doctors at Mayo Clinic, who declined to comment for this story, submitted that information in their second request, but coverage was denied again. Serena filed for a third-party review while she waited for that process to play out, NBC News reached out to Anthem Blue Cross to ask about her case. The next day, the insurer reversed course, agreeing to cover the more expensive drug. What do you think prompted your insurer to overturn their decision? Me reaching out to NBC and NBC reaching out to them. Elevance Health told us it received updated medical records to include the missing

treatment history during an additional level of review and that once we had, the accurate information we promptly approved the treatment. When your insurer told you we just now got that information, what did you think? That is false. That's a load of crap. Serena's focus now on taking steps to manage her incurable disease. Stress is so bad, especially for MS. So it is a huge relief to not have to worry about the added stress of fighting for this. It's a huge relief. Maggie Vespa, NBC News, O'Clair, Wisconsin. Okay, still ahead tonight on top story, the deadly shooting at a church in Nigeria,

after President Trump claimed that Christians there are being persecuted. And a massive volcano in Indonesia erupting, sending clouds of ash rushing down the mountain, and forcing hundreds to evacuate the dramatic video next. We're back now with a violent attack in Nigeria, gunmen storming a church as a service was being live-streamed, killing at least two people. It comes amid controversial statements from President Trump who says Christians in the country are being persecuted. A call yesterday echoed by rapper Nikki Minaj, our Danielle Hamamjan explains. Terrifying moments at a church in central Nigeria. A pastor and his worshippers are in the middle

of prayer when all of a sudden, the sound of gunshots sends them running for cover. Seconds later, the gunmen are inside. Officials later, the gunmen are inside. Official later, say at least two people were killed and others were kidnapped. The attack adding more pressure on the Nigerian government, following threats of military intervention by President Trump over what he calls

the persecution of Christians in one of Africa's richest countries. When asked if he'd consider strikes or even boots on the ground. Could be. I mean, a lot of things are envisaged, a lot of things to kill the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We're not going to allow

that to happen. Now, an unlikely supporter rapper Nikki Menage, who was born in Trinidad, speaking at the UN last night. I would like to thank President Trump for prioritizing this issue and for his leadership on the global stage. In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes and killed. But in Nigeria, a country that's 50% Muslim and just 48% Christian, violence is a complex and sweeping issue. Nigerian authorities tonight continue their search for more than 20 girls

who were abducted in the middle of the night by armed men from their predominantly Muslim school. Among the dead is the deputy principal. His wife telling reporters, he pleaded for his life, got up to pray, and she says that's when they pulled the trigger and killed him. The school is located in northwest Nigeria,

a mostly Muslim region of the country that is grappling with an Islamist insurgency. Most notably in 2014, the Islamist group Boko Haram kidnapped 270 girls. While many escaped or were later released, some have never returned. We have been investigating these conflicts for over 15 years now. And I believe that reducing it to religion simplifies the whole situation. The country is overridden and by gunmen who are ramped. page and they kill people regardless of their faith.

The Nigerian president pushing back on claims his country is religiously intolerant, saying it's a democracy with constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. Danielle Hammamjin joins us tonight from London and Danielle Pope Leo just this week and also referencing Nigeria as well. That's right, Tom. In a post on X on Sunday, Pope Leo said Christians are suffering discrimination and persecution in various parts of the world. among the countries he listed was Nigeria.

We should also mention that those gunmen you saw earlier in the peace didn't only kidnap the worshippers from that church, but the pastor as well. And then, Danielle, so we have any sense of why President Trump has taken such an interest in Nigeria with that post on X? A lot of people had the sense or that this came out of nowhere, in fact, according to multiple U.S. officials speaking to NBC, this all started with a Fox News report on violence in Nigeria. earlier this month. The president asked his staff for more information, and shortly after, he declared it a country of particular concern.

Danielle, Hamamian, for us from London again. Danielle, we thank you. Now to Top Stories, Global Watch. We're going to start in Indonesia, where parts of the country are on high alert after a major volcano erupted. Here you can see people scrambling on a bridge as a cloud of ash comes barreling down the mountain. We're told around 300 people were evacuated. Officials say the volcano sent a dangerous mix of rock, lava, and ash running down its slopes covering more than four miles. A massive fire ripping through a neighborhood in southwest Japan, killing at least one person and destroying nearly 200 homes. That's all, according to first responders there. Video shows crews racing to get the flames under control, but officials say

it could take days to fully put out the fire. Right now, it's still in clear what sparked it. And a group of scientists from around the world issuing a new warning about ultra-processed foods, calling them a major public health threat that needs to be addressed now. In a series of papers published in the Lancet Medical Journal. The experts argue ultra-processed foods are becoming more common worldwide and are linked to several diseases, including diabetes and cancer. And controversy bubbling around the Miss Universe pageant. Multiple judges suddenly dropping out just days before the start of competition, one of them claiming a secret vote was held to determine the top 30 contestants in advance. NBC's Kathy Park has more.

Denmark! Tonight, the Miss Universe pageant. In the spotlight once again, two judges dropping out ahead of the November 21st pageant kickoff. Judge Omar Harfouch, a Lebanese French composer, resigning over claims that the election process had been compromised. Saying in part, it has come to light that a secret and illegitimate vote was held to determine the top 30 contestants before the arrival of the official jury. The Miss Universe organization denied those accusations, saying no external group. has been authorized to evaluate delegates or select finalists. Now a second judge, French soccer legend Claude Maka Lele, also dropping out saying

he will not be able to attend due to unforeseen personal reasons. And it's not just the judges, Miss Universe Persia, withdrawing from the competition too. I was told by someone from within the organization that works with them, that Sahar, if you would like to place really well this year. And if you would like to win, the more money you're able to bring into Ms. Universe organization, the better your place. We reached out to Ms. Universe about the claims, but have not heard back. The exit is coming on the heels of another controversy earlier this month when the host of a pre-pagent event singled out Miss Mexico. Mexico, where are you? berating her for not posting promotional materials about Thailand.

I didn't give you opportunity to talk. Other contestants walking out on her behalf. Stop. Stop. The host said he was misunderstood, ultimately apologizing. The Miss Universe organization condemned Mr. Nowat's behavior, calling it malicious. You are the new Miss Universe. Brooke Lee won Miss Universe in 1997 and says,

while the recent shakeup is unusual, similar disruptions have happened in the past. The first time that Donald Trump started to run for president and he said some incendiary things, the entire judging panel stepped off. A lot of us former's literally jumped on planes to come and salvage this competition. Despite the drama that may be unfolding behind the scenes, Lee says these contestants are unshakable. To get to the Miss Universe stage, no joke. Like some of these girls, have worked so hard that, you know, they are in the zone. The world could fall around them,

but they will make that bikini turn in a heartbeat and smile and sashay off to the left. I mean, they're professionals. Trust me, they're professionals. Kathy Park joins us now. Kathy, the pageants do have so many fans and a lot of those contestants work so hard. Will it go on as planned?

Yeah, Tom, so as far as we know, the answer is yes, we haven't heard anything to suggest otherwise, pulling back the curtains a little bit during our conversation with former Miss Universe Brooklyn, she told us that when she served as a judge for both Ms. USA and Miss Universe, the judging criteria were always explained thoroughly. They actually overcommunicated. So she believes that this time around, there could have been some confusion with how the rules were communicated to the judges by leadership, which could have led to this recent controversy, Tom. Okay, Kathy Park for us. Kathy, we thank you.

When we come back, the NBA rookie who treated his team to a special home-cooked meal, ahead of their big game on the road. That's next. Finally tonight, when one NBA rookie found himself back in his hometown for an away game, he decided to bring all of this teammates along with him for a home-cooked meal by mom. NBC Sam Brock has this one. Before breaking out for a career high 32 points against the Milwaukee Bucks, Con turns the corner! Yes! Charlotte Hornets' rookie sensation, Connipple,

was getting some home cooking at his childhood house with his mom, posting so excited to host the Hornets at our home in Milwaukee. I was just looking at the schedule and saw Connie. They played Wednesday. So I just texted him, said, Connie, are you going to be able to come for dinner? Were you thinking, why not?

I'll just invite all of my teammates? Well, we were on the plane. A couple of my teammates, like, Con, where are we going on Friday? I was like, well, I'm going home. Apparently, so were they, team bus and all. Neighbors were taking pictures from their driveways. With Khan's basketball-loving parents, Sherry and Khan Senior left to figure out how to feed some very tall humans. We made 25 pounds of chicken fajitas.

Was that enough? Yes, it was. Having five sons, making three meals a day, that's lots of practice. Now the boy born into basketball has a team family, too. You at least let Congo and his teammates with food in Tupperware or something. Farnett, we did not do the Midwest night Tupperware. Though for the canipples, the meals like hoops will always be shared. I'll jam up, Connie.

Confidence, progressive. Love you. Sam Brock, NBC News. That's a lot of chicken fajitas there. All right, we thank Sam Brock for that. We thank you for watching Top Story tonight. I'm Tom Yamis in New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.