Nightly News Full Broadcast - Feb. 26

tonight the presidential primary race moving on to Battleground Michigan as Donald Trump finds himself facing another potential legal hurle the Manhattan da asking the judge for a gag order in the former president's hush money case before the trial next month it comes hours before polls open in Michigan Mr Trump taking on Nikki Haley days after beating her in a landslide in her home state South Carolina and just in President Biden raising hopes of a new ceasefire in Gaza when he says it could ha

ppen also tonight just released the dramatic body cam from the deadly shooting at Joel ost's mega church what it reveals also tonight the disturbing protest the active duty us Airman live streaming as he lit himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington shouting quote free Palestine we've now learned he has died from his injuries the deadline to avert a government shutdown Just 4 days away can Congress cut a deal in time the college wrestler found dead in his Kentucky dorm a fellow s

tudent charged and now we've learned they were teammates the American couple in the Caribbean their yacht hijacked by Escape Prisoners the mystery what happened to them this is NBC Nightly News with Lester Hol good evening and welcome on this eve of the Michigan presidential primaries where Donald Trump hopes to continue to run the table on Republican Challenger Nikki Haley but today the former president reminded once more that not all of his battles are at the voting booth the Manhattan distric

t attorney asking the judge in the criminal hush money case against Mr Trump to impose a partial gag order citing Mr Trump's long history of making public and inflammatory remarks in proceedings against him that case is scheduled to go to trial late next month around the time Mr Trump could be close to clinching the nomination meantime tomorrow's Michigan PR primary could also expose challenges President Biden is facing in the run to November Gabe Gutierrez reports tonight former president Trump

facing another potential legal battle Manhattan da Alvin brag asking for a gag order Banning Mr Trump from commenting on Witnesses prosecutors or jurors to protect the Integrity of the upcoming trial where he's accused of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to a porn star the Republican front runner has slammed the case as a political effort by a democratic da to derail his presidential campaign all of it as Nikki Haley ramps up her attacks on Mr Trump Donald Trump is no

w turning the Republican Party into his own play pin Haley in Michigan today after a landslide defeat in her home state South Carolina and now a key conservative group created by the billionaire Koch brother says it will stop donating to the Haley campaign writing we don't believe any outside group can make a material difference to why in her path to Victory the former president now having won the first four contests by wide margins is looking ahead to the general election we're going to look at

Joe Biden and we're going to look him right in the eye he's destroying our country and we're going to say Joe you're fired tomorrow's primary here in Michigan is high stakes not just for Haley but for President Biden who's facing Fierce backlash over the Israel Hamas War freees voters from Michigan's huge Arab Aman po have demanded the president's support of ceasefire some now plan to vote uncommitted in protest my direct message to President Biden is that you cannot continue to use my American

tax dollars to um Aid and a bet in a ongoing genocide of my people late today President Biden said he hopes for a deal to release the hostages held by Hamas soon and My Hope Is by next Monday we'll have a CE about the El Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a national co-chair of Biden's campaign what if uncommitted has a strong showing in this primary I think there will be a sizable number of votes for uncommitted I think that it is um every person's right to make their statement about what's importan

t to them Whitmer now Under Pressure to deliver the state for President Biden and she brushes off voter concerns about his age saying the president could serve until he's 86 he's got an incredible amount of accomplishments done and I have every confidence in his ability to serve out a full second term should alarm Bells be going off for the Biden campaign in Michigan well I think Michigan's the kind of state you can never take for granted what do you say to those people within the Democratic par

ty who would like a candidate a younger candidate such as yourself to replace President Biden I would say the trains out of the station get on board and Gabe immigration has become a major campaign issue and now we've learned both President Biden and former president Trump will be going to the Border yes Lester the White House announced today that President Biden will visit the southern border on Thursday earlier former president Trump had said he'd be at the border on Thursday so it's expected

to be quite the split screen Lester all right Gabe Gutierrez thank you another major story we've been following police in Houston today releasing body cam video from the shooting at Joel ost's mega church earlier this month Emily aeta on what it reveals we have to warn you the images are disturbing with ag tonight new video of the terrifying moments when a shooter started firing at Joel O's Lakewood Church in Houston you can see an officer realize something was terribly wrong ahead of the Spanis

h service God just be with us police say a 47-year-old church member was shot in the hip at church we need units now body camera footage released today by Houston Police capturing the chilling commands from the shooter identified as 36-year-old jenesy ion Marino carrying an AR 15 with the word Palestine written on it stand out police say Marino died in the shootout with off-duty officers the TABC agent told Miss Moreno to put her weapon down but she refused the agent fired his duty weapon again

striking her she was declared deceased at the scene wearing a trench coat and backpack Marino brought her seven-year-old son from her car into the church he can be seen covering his ears at one point before he was struck by gunfire in the head tonight Houston's police chief says the young boy is still fighting for his life 2 weeks later adding no child should ever be placed in that position as the investigation into the shooting that rattled this close Nick community continues Emily ietta NBC Ne

ws in Washington us Airman died overnight after setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy Pentagon correspondent Courtney Cub is following this according to what happened Lester the video is haunting Aaron Bushnell was live streaming as he walked up to the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC called the war in Gaza a genocide and then wearing his Air Force uniform he set himself on fire continuing to call for a free Palestine the video too graphic to show DC police say he is 25 years o

ld based in San Antonio Texas and according to a source familiar he's an enlisted Airman assigned to an Air Force intelligence unit he died at a local hospital Sunday night and Courtney the Pentagon released a review into Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's secretive hospitalization last month yeah that's right Lester 8 weeks after secretary Austin's hospitalization for complications from prostate cancer surgery today the Pentagon released a summary of their classified review into how Austin cou

ld be hospitalized in critical care for days without anyone informing the White House but Lester it still does not explain how that happened or hold anyone accountable Lester Courtney Cub at the Pentagon thank you tonight we're watching a late winter heat wave in much of the country highest tomorrow and today surging into the 70s and 80s in the plains and Midwest and the 9s in Texas dozens of records are likely to be matched or broken before a cold front moves through that will threaten severe w

eather starting tomorrow in some places in Atlanta a vigil late today for the young woman killed as she was jogging on the campus of the University of Georgia as we learn more about the suspect in the case Marissa par is there with late details thank you all so much for being here today and tions on high tonight as students at the University of Georgia remember 22-year-old leak Riley L showed devotion throughout every Avenue of her life murdered on campus last Thursday While She Was Out running

tributes pouring in one friend writing you exuded kindness and acceptance to anyone you met the suspect charged 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibara police say they didn't know each other I think this was a crime of opportunity immigration officials say iar a Venezuelan citizen with was previously arrested when he illegally entered the US in 2022 a year later he was arrested in New York City for endangering a child under 17 he was released both times lakan's death is a direct result of failed policies

on the federal level and an unwillingness by this White House to secure the southern border Riley's death igniting a political Firestorm state house Speaker John Burns indicating that the Georgia house this week will take steps on illegal immigration and look at quote ways to strengthen the security of our state outrage growing on social media over Riley's murder from female Runners across the country I shouldn't have to worry about getting killed on my run and women on eug campus afraid to wal

k alone some carrying pepper spray for the first time I also have my pocket knife in my backpack just did you have your pocket knife in your backpack this time last week no from anxiety to anguish emotions on full display campus is really heavy right now we're all heartbroken a community grieving the loss of a life and their sense of safety Marissa para NBC news Athens Georgia in Kentucky police say a student on the wrestling team at campbellville University was found dead in his dorm room over

the weekend killed by a former wrestler at the school police say 18-year-old freshman Josiah kilman was strangled 21-year-old Charles escalera was arrested and charged with murder a motive has not been determined in Washington Congressional leaders face a Friday night deadline to strike a deal to fund the federal government and avert a partial government shutdown Ryan nobl is at the capitol for us Ryan what's the latest on all this well Lester the pressure is growing tonight on the house Speaker

Mike Johnson with the possibility that a third of the federal government could shut down as soon as Friday impacting departments like the Food and Drug Administration and Veterans Affairs now Johnson is working to find a bipartisan compromise that at the same time won't alienate the most conservative Republicans Republicans and Democrats right now blaming each other for this impass now at the same time there is the real possibility that the government could shut down in its totality just a week

later now the four Congressional leaders will meet with President Biden at the White House tomorrow it's also important to point out that this spending Showdown has led to a delay in acting on that supplemental Aid package which is designed to help both Ukraine and Israel Lester Ryan Noble at the Capital thanks at the Supreme Court today a major First Amendment case the question whether states can stop social media companies from moderating certain content senior legal correspondent Laura Jared

has more it's a First Amendment fight for the digital age the justice is today wrestling with a pair of sweeping laws restricting how social media giants like Facebook and Google decide what and who you see online these big Tech oligarchs have made themselves The Gatekeepers of free speech and nobody gets to do that in America the government cannot violate the First Amendment and it especially cannot do so in the name of preserving free speech that is orwellian at issue laws passed in Texas and

Florida after former president Donald Trump was kicked off social media in the wake of the capital attack on January 6 the states restricting social media platforms from blocking users for their views and burying certain content moves they say are needed because conservative voices are stifled online but the companies say those laws infringe on their free speech rights hampering their ability to police their own platforms a concern the justices highlighted during arguments today when the govern

ment excludes speech from the public square that is obviously a violation of the first amendment when a private individual or private entity makes decisions about what to include and what to exclude that's protected generally editorial uh discretion the ultimate outcome likely turning on whether the high court views social media Giants more like newspapers free to make their own editorial choices or more like phone companies open to all regardless of what a customer says or writes and Lura you l

isten to the arguments did you get a sense which way they're leaning on this Lester this is a tricky one many of the justices seemed uncomfortable with the state telling private companies how to run their businesses at the same time other members of the Court seem troubled by giving companies cart blanch for censorship especially given how powerful they've become either way we can expect a decision later this summer L all right Laura thank you for that in 60 seconds the mystery in the Caribbean

The Disappearance of a retired American couple after police say Escape prisoners hijacked their yacht we'll have details right after this back now with a mystery in Paradise an American couple in the Caribbean Vanishing after authorities say Escape prisoners hijack their yacht the couple's Sons now speaking out and seeking answers here's Liz KZ tonight Terror in the Caribbean authorities say a retired couple from Virginia who went missing while sailing off the coast of Grenada are believed to be

dead after their yacht was allegedly hijacked by Escape prisoners from the island information suggests that while traveling between Grenada and S vincon they dispose of the occupants Kathy brandle and Ralph Henry who for a decade have lived on their boat Simplicity were last heard from the same day these three men escaped from their holding cell Grenada police say there's evidence the prisoners may have attacked the couple and thrown them overboard attack where they live is just it's unimaginab

le the couple's Sons Nick and Brian are now in the Caribbean desperate to find out what happened to their parents shock despair fear sadness hope love all of those emotions are going through our head The Disappearance also a shock to the Sailing Community and raising questions about safety on the Caribbean Seas it seems like a bad Hollywood movie have you ever heard of anything like this happening never Rob Mahar is the couple's longtime friend and emergency contact it's hard to think of their l

ast moments um with with uh the idea they might have been thrown overboard alive it's difficult to conceive for a friend tonight the three suspects are now back in custody but with Kathy and Ralph still missing and presumed dead there are more questions than answers about this senseless attack Liz CZ NBC News and up next we'll tell you about the first drug to treat multiple food allergies just approved why some families are breathing a sigh of relief for the first time good news for the the mill

ions of Americans who suffer from food allergies the FDA recently approving a new drug to help reduce allergic reactions from Foods even including peanuts we get more from priia shrier Liam Wong is one of more than 2 million children who are suffering from multiple food allergies in the US after breaking out in hives as a baby his parents discovered he was allergic to multiple Foods including nuts and eggs was really daunting to try to keep track of what he can eat what he cannot eat for Liam ju

st one peanut could mean a trip to the emergency room for anaphylactic shock the thought of that happening to our child is absolutely terrifying that's why Liam's parents jumped at the chance to join a groundbreaking study Stanford researchers wanted to see if the drug zir normally prescribed for asthma could also help with accidental exposures to multiple food allergens including nuts food allergy patients are making allergic antibodies and zir targets these allergic antibodies and acts like a

sponge to take them out of circulation while the drug doesn't eliminate the allergy it reduces allergic reactions the large-scale study found that 23ds of patients who were injected with Solair were able to eat two and a half peanuts without having a severe allergic response like troubled breathing this is a huge game Cher for our patients Dr chintha hopes the new FDA approval will make it more accessible and affordable to her patients the very same day the FDA approved the drug we were writing

prescriptions for Liam's parents it's lifechanging how does it feel knowing that you don't have to walk on eggshells with Liam now I think it's very freeing we can keep an eye on him but also not worry as much about every little thing that he gets into a new found freedom for Liam and potentially life-saving option for families Prius NBC News and up next celebrating the heritage of black cowboys with a big Booth from Beyonce we'll explain finally Beyonce is making history the first black woman t

o top the billboard country charts and it comes as an event honoring the tradition of America's black cowboys winds through her hometown Priscilla Thompson is there by wagon and on Horseback more than 300 black cowboys and girls ride into Houston people hear trail ride cowboy cowgirl and they don't always think black folks why do you think that is if you see on the TV it's all white Cowboys but in Texas in the late 1800s as many as one in four cow hands were black a legacy that murdis diman Jr w

ants to protect each year he and the Prairie viw Trail Riders Journey 80 miles to kickoff Rodeo season why does it matter to keep this Heritage alive that's what we are we going C boys for life this is my brother this is my son the bundage family has been on this ride for 40 years 6 months I was out here I was very proud to bring my son out at 3 months last year to continue this tradition it's a big part of my history and it goes back to where my dad my dad was born my my dad's dad and so on whe

n you see these kids now carrying the flags you see these kids working on the horses that tells us that it's going to continue it will never stop Priscilla Thompson NBC News Houston and that's Nightly News for this Monday thank you for watching everyone I'm Lester Holt please take care of yourself and each other good night thanks for watching stay updated about breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app or follow us on social media