Nightly News Full Broadcast - Feb. 18

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tonight former president jimmy carter is now in hospice care the 39th president at home after a series of hospital stays planning to spend his remaining days with family what we know about his health the states United with their strongest condemnation yet of Russia's war in Ukraine's Vice President Harris declares that Russia has committed crimes against humanity and that justice must be served. Andrew Mitchell Exclusive with the Vice President. How can Vladimir Putin be tried before the world Secretary of State met with his Chinese counterpart? Did he apologize for the spy balloon over the US as our correspondent heads to the Chinese island where that balloon was launched, based on what she found there, a dramatic video of an off-duty Chicago police officer shooting and killing a man who was trying to rob her right after she warned him she would. kill him FEMA finally arrives in Ohio after the toxic train derailment as we enter one of the labs testing the county's well water, is it safe and how are these dogs saving lives?

Can they find our correspondent buried in the snow? This is NBC Nightly News with Jose Diaz-Bellart, good evening, we start with some sad

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, former President Jimmy Carter, the country's oldest president, is back home in Plains Georgia tonight after a stay in the hospital, but is now forgoing medical treatment and entering palliative care at the end of his life. I don't have many details about the former president's health problems, but the 98-year-old has been in and out of the hospital in recent years and battled cancer into his 90s. His grandson today says that both Mr. Carter and his wife Rosalind are at peace Monica Alba has the last of former President Jimmy Carter tonight at home surrounded by those who love him most The Carter Center announced that he decided Saturday to receive palliative care instead After further medical intervention after a series of recent hospitalizations, the oldest living president turned 98 in October and will spend the remainder of his time in Plains Georgia with Rosalind, his wife of seven decades, at his side.

Every question was how did you live with that man for so long in his 80s. Mr. Carter was diagnosed with melanoma that spread to his liver and brain, defying the odds with the help of an experimental drug and through it all always maintaining perspective on the fragility of life. I thought I had a few weeks left but I felt surprisingly calm. You know, I've had a wonderful life. I had thousands of friends and I have had an exciting, adventurous and affirming existence. A man of deep and abiding faith. The former Democratic president dedicated himself to service after one term in office, building homes for those in need and fighting for human rights and democracy.

On Saturday afternoon, the 39th president's grandson tweeted that the Carters are at peace and, as always, their home is

full

of love. Monica joins us now from the White House. Monica, do we know anything else about why she was in the hospital? It's not clear, José, but the Carters are. has kept a low profile since the start of the coveted pandemic around the same time that the former president stopped teaching Sunday school after 40 years of doing so José Monigalba in the White House thanks and now in an NBC News exclusive today the Vice President Harris officially accused Russia of crimes against humanity.

He later spoke exclusively to our own Andrea Mitchell about what exactly that means when it comes to holding Russia accountable for its atrocities against Ukraine. Andrew now reports from the Munich security conference in Germany. Russia's atrocities in Ukraine laid bare for world leaders and diplomats in Munich by Vice President Kamala Harris we have examined the evidence we know the legal standards and there is no doubt that these are crimes against humanity images the entire world has witnessed from the bomb theater in Maricopa the pregnant mother who died after the bombing of the Maternity Ward of civilians massacred in the streets of butchers Horrific acts of murder, torture, rape and deportation, execution style murders, beatings and electrocution.

I asked the vice president exclusively today if that means holding everyone, from frontline soldiers to Vladimir Putin, accountable for what you say you are committed to. hold those who commit atrocities and their superiors accountable, how can Vladimir Putin be put on trial before the world? Well, as I said and what we mean is who is Putin's accomplice, well, the facts will have to prove who is an accomplice, you also warned. China is against providing lethal weapons to Russia for Ukraine, what worries us is that we are seeing and are concerned about a deepening relationship between Beijing and Moscow tonight.

NBC News was the first to report that the United States is concerned that China may be considering sending weapons to Russia. Secretary of State Lincoln raised that with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, tonight in their first meeting since the United States shot down that spy balloon, as the secretary told Chuck Todd afterward for the press briefing. tomorrow. I can tell you that no, there was no apology, but what I can also say. This was an opportunity to speak very clearly and very directly about the fact that China sent a surveillance balloon over our territory violating our sovereignty and violating international law and I told him simply that that was unacceptable and could never happen again.

Wangi didn't leave. for his claim that the balloon was a civilian blimp according to a senior official Andrew joins us now from Munich Andrea I make no apologies this is a very tense time between the US and China Did today's meeting ease that tension at all? It's still not clear, as you heard. he told Lincoln, he told Chuck that he was clear and direct in those conversations with the Chinese diplomat and he also stressed the importance of keeping the lines of communication and diplomacy open, which frankly hasn't happened since the Chinese balloon was shot down. José Andrew Mitchell in Munich.

Thank you. and there will be more of that interview with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken when he is one of the guests tomorrow on Meet the Press and now to China and our first look at what US officials They say it's the launch site of that spy balloon that US forces fired off South Carolina earlier this month. It's a military zone on a tropical island off the southern coast of China Janice Maggie Freyr traveled there tonight with tensions high between the US and China a look inside China's fleet of high-altitude balloons satellite images from Planet Labs showing the launch site where an extensive program of balloons here on Hainan Island in the South China Sea.

We found the launch site. It is marked with a large sign that says military zone. U.S. officials say they know this is where the Chinese balloon took off and flew. On its way across the Pacific, the United States believes a fleet of Chinese blimps and balloons has flown over dozens of countries conducting near-space surveillance. Here we go. China says the United States shot down a weather balloon. Officials here accused the United States of flying spy balloons into Chinese airspace. China's high-altitude balloons first appeared on state television here in 2015 and were hailed as a breakthrough, although the lines between commercial and military use are very blurred.

The United States has sanctioned six Chinese entities for providing balloon components to the People's Liberation Army here in Hainan. Operations at the launch site are considered sensitive even from a distance. We were told we couldn't report while U.S. officials sifted through the debris they were able to recover in hopes of finding clues about the final flight of the Chinese balloon. Janice Mackey Frayer NBC News Hainan China and now to Ohio and the questions there about the safety of the water near that toxic train accident site, today we got to see inside the laboratory where tests are being done to determine if there is danger in the water potable.

George Solis reports this collection of jars and vials. in Akron Ohio Hundreds of thousands of people may have the answer to what is safe to drink. In the coming days and weeks we have been working non-stop environmental engineer Mo Osman and his team and each of the analyzes have been testing water near south Norfolk. train derailment in East Palestine what are your findings? Well, the results are still confidential between us and the client, so we're not supposed to discuss the results, you know, with anyone, but those are the results that people are waiting for, even some residents of East Palestine. waiting to get a test no one came to our road and talked to anyone to see if they needed their test.

Osmond's laboratory has been contracted by the county where the accident occurred and the one next door to analyze water samples collected from the Wells residence in this room. This is where all sorted samples are brought before being analyzed. Complex machinery tests for more than 175 compounds, including hazardous chemicals aboard the derailed train that may be infiltrating waterways far beyond the effects of the wreck site due to the pollution source. to the individual world for those who do not use well water. Ohio's governor has stress tests showing the water in the area is safe. You don't need to drink bottled water if you have municipal water and the new developments on the ground in East Palestine today why are you here?

Fox News meets with CEO of Norfolk Southern Amer ipport the community, the railroad company confirms to NBC News that Alan Shaw is in town meeting with community members and teams working at the accident site, now also in Palestine Eastern, FEMA representatives working with other government agencies trying to help this community return to a sense of normalcy and George joins us now live from Eastern Palestine outside a community church where the executive director of Norfolk Southern. George, yes, that's right, Jose, we're told that the CEO of Norfolk Southern is in the building right now meeting with members of the community, the mayor of East Palestine telling me that he wants to reaffirm his commitment to the people of this community and he's even considering attending a town hall with residents here José George Solis in East Palestine thank you in Michigan tonight the heartbreaking farewell to three students killed in this week's shooting on the Michigan State campus their loved ones today honor the lives lost too soon Jesse Kirsch reports from East Lansing in Michigan tonight the final farewells have begun Arielle Anderson, 19, 20 years old Brian Frazier and Alexandria Verner, 20, were honored today after police say a gunman opened fire at Michigan State University on Monday night and killed the three students.

Ellis taught us to love, he taught us to live, and he taught us to have great hope. Werner and Frazier were commemorated in funeral masses Brian, thank you, thank you for everything you have given us throughout your short life, but it is

full

of love, kindness and serenity. Anderson recalled and a vigil with anguish still raw on the MSU campus before the women's basketball team's home start. moment of silence to honor three students killed and five more injured MSU classes resume Monday, a challenge for survivors like assistant professor Marco Díaz Muñoz, who says he was teaching seven of the eight students shot.

Do you plan to have this class together on Monday if the university opens and expects me to teach the class. I will give it the same way I need to see them and see that they are alive and that they are well. I'm sure there is a part of them that also wants to feel like they are. Teachers return teaching another community Learning a tragic new normal Jesse Kirsch NBC News East Lansing Michigan closer Shocking confrontation caught on camera between off-duty police officer and man she says attacked her Why her family is now sued. show you what it takes to train Avalanche rescue dogs overseas we're back with a new Fallout of a shocking fight caught on camera between an off-duty Chicago police officer and a man who attacked her Emily Ikeda has the story a warning about some of what you're about to see and here are tense and disturbing moments caught on camera in Chicago when a man identified by police as Lavon Smith grabs an off-duty officer from behind in the fight, she he warns before a shot rings out, even then the fight continues.

Surveillance footage released this week by Chicago's Civilian Police Accountability Office, video and audio from the January incident were missing.synchronized, so NBC News lined them up. The off-duty officer instructs viewers to call 9-1-1 as he continues to yell at Smith, "you can." hand, abdomen and hip, according to the police report, he later died at the hospital. I don't know, he tried to steal my gun. Smith's estate is now suing the city of Chicago and the officer for $10 million, alleging the officer used excessive force. One of the most disturbing things about this incident is after Mr.

Smith was shot. There is no first aid. The officer appears to stand next to Mr. Smith and mock him, but that could be a difficult legal argument to make this case even more difficult because there is video evidence that shows Smith struggling with the officer and apparently continuing to fight with her. even after she shoots him while she was initially assigned to routine administrative duties. The officer's current status with the Department is unclear now, one month since the fetal shooting. Emily Iquetta NBC News still ahead we're with a team of canine heroes learning how to save lives in an avalanche and Miracle On Us, the Ukrainian hockey team here in North America for the trip of a lifetime, we return surviving an avalanche, dozens die on them throughout the west.

US each year and the best hope for rescue often comes down to specially trained dogs. We sent our Christian Dahlgren to Aspen Colorado to watch them work high in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The search is underway. You hear it. Yes. In an avalanche, every second counts and man. The best friend is often the victim's best hope. We've had dogs find people at 10 12 15 feet on this day, there are only 42 dogs being trained from across the country meeting with the Colorado Avalanche rapid deployment on Snowmass Mountain, why today? Dogs are still such an important part of all the technology we have, if someone gets buried under the snow without any of that technology, we really don't have too many tools to effectively locate them outside of a dog's nose and time is of the essence, While 9 out of 10 people can survive 15 minutes under an avalanche, after 30 minutes survival becomes unlikely, so the Snowmass team has dug a hundred holes in the mountain to mimic avalanche conditions.

Training begins when puppies like sisters Tally and Moxie from Beaver Creek and Vale are built on a manufacturing foundation. You really are the most exciting and fun game they have ever experienced with their wives. More experienced dogs are given a more difficult challenge. Here we go, part of the training. I'm buried in a snow cave. Oh, in the light of day, well, a dog named Luna stays away. Far away Luna has no idea where I am and let's see if she can come get me in a few seconds. Hey good girl, after good dogs are rewarded with Play, it's what drives them.

The teams not only work together, they are family. He's been my best friend, my partner spends every day together, so he's definitely a lot of fun Bond. I think she's going to save lives. I do, yes I do. That's why we work hard, because no, when a disaster can happen, they know it will happen. and when you do, one of these dogs will be ready Kristen Dahlgren NBC News Snow Mass Mountain Colorado when we return the Ukrainian children's hockey team warming hearts with their courage on and off the ice, there is good news tonight about never giving up and the Ukrainian Peewee . hockey team here in North America competing for the World Championship win or lose how they got here is a big victory in itself by Nicole from Quebec City Canada A miracle on ice at this year's Peewee International Hockey Tournament, a novelty in the team of refugees from the war in Ukraine like Maxim Stepa, twelve years old, tell me a little about what it is like for you now we are like stars they already talked to us selfie they have been the toast of the tournament these boys who have been through so much receiving a warm welcome at every game, a few trains home as bombs fell, sometimes finding their way with flashlights and even skating in the dark, the effort to bring them here began last year organized by former Canadian hockey pro Sean Berubay Sean played hockey in In Ukraine, when he was a teenager, those kids, like three weeks ago, some of them were still trying to run away from the rockets and now that they're here and they're like rock stars, the team's coach, Evgeny Putarenko, says who is delighted to see the children happy.

Again, what has this journey been like for you and your team? It is a great experience for them, the children are smiling, they are happy, it is something huge for these children, huge because many of their parents are fighting in Ukraine. We were there in the emotional moment. This player had a video call with his father, a frontline fighter, there you can see tanks moving behind him, the boy was moved to tears and was comforted by his coach playing hockey. Here is a chance to show the world that you will never give up what is. is what you like most about being ukrainian being ukrainian means you are strong you are smart in their last game yesterday honoring their fallen parents and those still fighting showing pride in their nation and hope for a better future the kids won two games before a loss yesterday now they're having fun sightseeing before heading home that's on NBC Nightly News for this Saturday.

I am José Díazberg, thank you for the privilege of your time and good evening, thank you for watching our YouTube channel, follow today's top stories and breaking news by downloading the NBC News app