Nightly News Full Broadcast - Feb. 29

Mar 01, 2024

Tonight, the dramatic split screen President Biden and former President Donald Trump make dueling visits to the border. Biden and Trump are separated by only about 300 miles along the Texas border, clashing over immigration, an issue dominating the 2012 campaign,4 with the president criticizing Republicans for killing a bipartisan. border Bill Mr. Trump blaming the crisis on the Biden Administration our team at the border also this afternoon Israeli troops accused of opening fire on a crowd waiting for help in Gaza and killing more than 100 Israelis, denies it saying many were trampled as trucks were looted as Gaza reaches a grim milestone an estimated 30,000 dead the wildfire spreading across Texas now the largest in state history more than 1 million acres burned we're in the fire zone the winter storm threatening Lives Hit West Coast Blizzard Warnings in California for Up to 10 Feet of Snow Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on the Hotline The Heated Moments as House Republicans Questioned Him About His Secret Hospitalization The Cheapest Option When It Comes to Medications popular for weight loss, but what are the health risks and our exclusive NFL star Demar Hamlin after?

Surviving that harsh stare on the field, we're there as he surprises a teenage athlete who shares a special bond. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome to the race for president that is still officially in its primary season. Jump right into the topic. At the heart of the 2024 race, the two favorites traveling to the southern border make dueling appearances in what could be a decisive battleground in this campaign. President Biden and former President Trump, each standing in the shadow of Mexico, today separated from each other by hundreds of miles but exchanging salvos over an issue affecting more and more American cities on the border and beyond, the president criticizing calling out House Republicans for sinking a bipartisan border bill and extending an offer to Trump saying we can do it together, the former president blaming Biden for Border Chaos calling it Joe Biden's invasion our Gabe Gutierrez has late details he faces criticism over his handling of the migrant crisis President Biden makes his second trip to the southern border while in office it's really simple it's time to act arriving in Brownsville Texas House blast Republicans for shooting down bipartisan border security bill at the behest of former President Trump, it is the toughest set of border security reforms we have seen in this country since, so that the speakers and some of my Republican friends in Congress who blocked this bill will show some spine spine the president with this message directly to Mr.

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Trump join me or I will join you in telling Congress to pass this protest and border security bill, we can do it together before, the Republican frontrunner landed about 300 M from distance in Eagle Pass Texas, this is an invasion of Biden in the last three years, arguing that President Biden could end the crisis on his own, criticizing what he calls Mr. Biden's lack of border policies for causing it, so that we must remain in Mexico, remember that you cannot enter our country. and we had no more Catch and Release, our Catch and Release was that we released them in Mexico.

Mr. Trump points to recent high-profile crimes allegedly committed by immigrants, including the murder of Georgia nursing student Lak and Riley. Joe Biden will never say the leak and Riley's name. but we will say it and we will remember it, we will not forget it. An NBC News review of available crime data shows that crime has decreased in cities receiving the most migrants if President Biden had gone to a different part of the border I I think it probably would have been better go somewhere that is very busy like Arizona or Califor a record 8.6 million immigrants have crossed into the US since President Biden took office.

The Border Patrol Union tells us that Mr. Biden should not have recalled Trump. The border policies were very effective for us as border patrol agents and in securing the border. An NBC News poll shows that 57% of Americans say Trump can best secure the border, only 22% say Biden will overcome the political split screen and desperate migrants in Mexico will wait. to cross here in Brownsville Monica from El Salvador waits for a bus with her three-year-old son, she tells us that the trip was hard and that she spent 4 months waiting in Mexico for an appointment for an initial Asylum evaluation through an application on her phone now He leaves to join his family in Houston as the border battle in Washington intensifies, scoring a victory for the White House today and its legal battle with Texas over the border.

That's how it is. Lester today a federal judge temporarily blocked a controversial law in Texas that has allowed local police to arrest immigrants suspected of being in the state illegally, the governor says he will appeal and the case could eventually reach the US Supreme Court Lester, okay, Gabe Gutierrez, thanks, a deadly incident today in northern Gaza during a meal. distribution effort, but tonight it is in dispute how this happened says the Ministry of Health now puts the death toll in the war in Gaza at more than 30,000 rap Sánchez has late details tonight the body is carried away in donkey carts after a deadly encounter while Palestinians were gathering to receive humanitarian aid, but it is not known how it happened.

Our camera crew was there before 4:00 a.m. m., when hundreds of people arrived on the Gaza coast desperately waiting for food delivery. The Israeli army said this. Drone footage was taken shortly after showing a crowd gathering around the aid. trucks, Palestinian witness tells NBC News Israeli forces began shooting at people gathered in front of a checkpoint before the trucks arrived and continued shooting later as the crowd rushed toward help. The Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 100 people died. Hospitals flooded with gunshot victims, but the Israeli military said many were killed not by Israeli bullets but in a stampede around the trucks and that Israeli troops only later opened fire on a specific group threatening their position.

Do you have any evidence to support your claim that this crowd posed a threat to Israeli troops, if you approach armed soldiers in a war zone and there is a threat and they fire warning shots into the air, the best thing you can do is give them the warning. turn around and walk away and tonight the UN warns that one in four gins is just a step away. Far from famine, Musa is six months old, little more than this war, but in his small body there are signs of a short life with little food, in a sense he is lucky.

Doctors say eight more children died this week from malnutrition and dehydration, all at this hospital not far away. far away Samia elmasri trying to feed her children by frying pancakes with barley feed intended for donkeys, her children dodging bullets to find firewood, words cannot describe the tragedy we experienced, she says, and President Biden now says he no longer thinks about a ceasefire. by Monday Lester will likely be fine, thanks here at home, that massive, deadly wildfire in Texas became the largest fire in state history today, burning over 1 million acres, our guad Venegas is there tonight, the Texas Panhandle engulfed in a deadly ring of fire as firefighters rose to battle the flames of what is now the largest wildfire in the history of the Lone Star state.

Smokehouse Creek is the largest of the four active wildfires now ravaging the state; It has already burned more than a million acres leaving apocalyptic scenes like this. In its wake, entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble for Paul Blake, and the ship home will never be the same. The flames took his mother Joyce. They had already blocked the roads, so I couldn't get to her. The Colossal Blaze is. only 3% contained a surreal scene on the refrigerator today Freezing temperatures in Texas caused a flurry of snow to cover the ashes. It's a help to firefighters who are still extinguishing hot spots, but the weather may not remain useful for long.

It's basically a product of the low relative humidity conditions of the dry fuel and really very strong winds this was my art studio it's too late for Melanie McQuitty her house is gone now she's worried about the historic hotel she manages I looked at my house I I said goodbye and thank you because I knew I wasn't going to come back. Until the flames subside, the hotel is on fire. Teamed up and evacuated for now, the fire ravages these vast farmlands burning crops and forcing some farms to release their livestock to escape the fire. It's really going to hurt and all the ranchers around him. devastating for our community with more high winds predicted in the coming days this battle is far from over yes and it's good that the firefighters have enough help or if they had to go out to bring in more people.

Well, Lester's federal firefighters are on the way and President Biden. Air tankers are also arriving in Texas to help combat this location now that there has been a break in wind conditions, giving firefighters that advantage, but forecasters say strong winds are expected to return during weekend. Lester, very good, thank you and in Northern California. In fact, there are blizzard warnings for the Sierra Nevada mountains tonight with heavy snowfall already creating chaos on some roads. With 5 to 10 feet of snow possible by Sunday with wind gusts between 60 and 100 mph, travel will be extremely dangerous, if not impossible, for Alabama state legislators.

Passing new protections for IVF after the state supreme court's ruling that frozen embryos are children sent shockwaves across the country. Legal correspondent Lura Jered is here Laura, this would only be a temporary solution if she does it. Yes. Lester lawmakers today recognize that these bills are not a long-term solution; instead, they are intended to protect IVF patients and doctors from prosecutions and civil lawsuits during the course of fertility treatments where embryos could be damaged or destroyed. The goal, of course, is to provide the state's clinics with enough comfort to resume IVF procedures. that have been on hold for more than a week, but the bills do not clarify whether frozen embryos should be considered children, the crux of the state Supreme Court ruling that potentially leaves a legal gray area; however, the governor is expected to sign the proposed legislation as soon as possible. like next week Lester, okay, Laura, thanks, just tonight there is a major twist in the case of the Air National Guard member accused of leaking Pentagon secrets.

Jack Desera is expected to change his plea to guilty according to court documents. Desera, who was arrested last April, is accused. of using his top secret clearance to access classified material and then posting it on a chat forum. A combative hearing today in Congress where Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was questioned about his recent hospitalization and his failure to disclose it to the president and others for days. Courtney Cub has more defense secretary Lloyd Austin in the hot seat today was a leadership failure House Republicans grill Austin for not telling White House he was diagnosed with prostate cancer underwent surgery and weeks later was hospitalized with serious complications.

I find it very worrying the secretary could be hospitalized for 3 days without anyone else in the administration realizing that the president is so distant or you are irrelevant who you are Mr. Secretary, nor were the Democrats more lenient, you want to know what It is accountability. coming and sitting in front of the people and their outrage and their drama, the secretary emphasizing that someone was always in control, there was never a lapse in authorities or command in control, but recognizing a flaw in the notification process, we did not handle this correctly. and I didn't handle it well, although Austin took responsibility, he also said that he assumed his staff would handle it.

I never ordered anyone to maintain my hospitalization. From the White House on Monday, the Pentagon released a summary of a classified review that blamed a lack of information. The notification was due in part to a lack of written guidance, but also because staff did not want to intrude on Austin's Health. The review recommended newprocedures. If any American worker did what you did, he would be fired and the question remains why it took the Pentagon 3 days. To tell President Biden that his defense secretary was in intensive care Courtney QB NBC News the Pentagon with just one day left, the House today passed a bill to stop the funding gap to prevent a partial shutdown of the government.

The bill keeps much of the government open until next Friday and the rest is open until March 22. Republicans and Democrats are far apart on funding decisions for important departments like the Pentagon and Homeland Security in 60 seconds, with the new class of weight loss drugs gaining popularity, not everyone can get them and now more people are turning to they. An alternative option, but is it safe? We will see it below. Winfrey announced that he will step down from the Weight Watchers board of directors after going public with his use of weight-loss medications. These medications are tremendously popular, although the cost has led many to seek out cheaper products.

Composite versions, but are they safe? CNB BC's Melissa Lee reports Want to keep the length the same for New Jersey hairstylist Kelly Fatan? Maintaining a healthy weight was never a problem until she had a child. I had my son and we all know it after 30 things. It was like starting to change. Fatan wanted to try OIC, the diabetes medication that has also been shown to be effective and popular for weight loss, but the reality was that at $800 a month it was not something that was sustainable for me when there is a nationwide shortage. a drug like oic's active ingredient semaglutide FDA rules allow what is known as compounding, the art of mixing and making personalized medications.

I'm on my way right now to get my first shot closed. Fatan was able to obtain the compounded semaglutide first. a local Med Spa for $300 per vial and then an online site she loads the syringes herself. They just told me to disinfect the top every time she removed some. Robin Bogner is a professor at the Yukon School of Pharmacy and teaches proper preparation techniques. When there's a need and there's profit, people will get involved. Dozens of compounding pharmacies across the country are mixing their own versions of compounded semaglutide, and while some of the facilities are inspected by the FDA, the drugs they make are not, the agency has issued warnings that compounded versions of semiglutide may carry more risks and negative effects. side effects The big problem with getting compounded semaglutide is that I don't know where these molecules come from.

I don't know how pure they are. What else is being added? Social media sites like Tik Tok are flooded with influencers posting promotions for various. Compounded medications have a discount code, so you'll use my code Lauren 50. Our team wanted to see how easy it was to get compounded semaglutide. We tested eight different Telea Health sites that did not require any blood tests using our real health information. We shouldn't have been approved and all but two sites rejected us, but with one, after a quick consultation with a doctor, I'm qualified, okay, five questions and that's great, this nausea sucks.

Kelly Fatan has documented her experience on Tik. Tok and is now sponsored by a tah health company, she said that she feels comfortable with the choice she made. I feel like when you feel like you have no other options, you just go for it and do whatever it takes for her, the reward outweighs the risk. NBC News Melissa Lee New York and for more, watch Big Shot the OIC Revolution tonight at 1 p.m. ET on CNBC, up next for us As Chinese-made electric cars rise in popularity, the White House announced there is an investigation into whether they are compromising driver data.

The Biden administration is taking a major step to block Chinese-made smart cars on the roads here in the US, citing a potential national security threat. Andrea Mitchell gives us more tonight. US raises alarm over Chinese smart cars, fearful Beijing could use its software to spy on American drivers is like an iPhone on wheels citing national security Commerce Secretary Gina Romondo launching investigation into threat the car knows its location it knows its patterns everywhere You go to your roots uh that's a lot of information could you go? As for banning their technology, it depends, it depends on what we learn, we can do anything.

Do you have that authority? Yes, we could do everything from mitigation to prohibition. China's Foreign Ministry says that would overstate the concept of National Security as China's authority. Sales of electric vehicles are booming, one of their companies has overtaken Tesla as the world's biggest seller, but China faces high tariffs when trying to sell in the US, making it look to Mexico. If China can establish final assembly plants in Mexico, it will then be able to export those vehicles. to the United States for much lower costs and that gives them a level playing field in terms of the US market or even an advantage.

Chinese automakers get government subsidies and easier access to key battery materials that help them sell electric vehicles for thousands of dollars less than those made by Americans. companies is not a cover for trade sanctions and protectionism disguised as national security no, this is not about Homeland Security protecting Americans so they know who is tracking them when they get behind the wheel Andrea Mitchell NBC News Washington and next for us tonight our exclusive NFL's Demar Hamlin's tender surprise visit to a young athlete finally our Nightly News exclusive NFL's Demar Hamlin and his surprise for a young athlete Priscilla Thompson on the heartfelt connection they share Zeke manin had big dreams of becoming in military pilot and play football, but Around the sixth grade everything changed, it hurt to breathe, it hurt to sleep, the cause of a leaky heart valve that would have to be replaced and fitted with a mechanical one.

What was going through your minds at that moment. I just thought his world was going to change. Taking blood thinners for life Zeke's football dreams ended when they told you you wouldn't be able to play football again. What was that like for you? Probably one of the most devastating moments of my life. Devastated but not defeated now. 16 Zeke is a track star with new passions like marching band and choir, and he dreams of Bec becoming an airline pilot. His story inspires someone else. So how do you feel about this surprise? I feel very excited. Buffalo Bills safety Demar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest on the field last year.

I'm really proud of him for being able to shift gears and still, you know, show your passion for other things that you love in the world. Where is Z Hamlin inviting Zeke to join Abbott's team of heart buddies? You're the first pick in the draft, so here you go for those affected by heart conditions, it's just a community that we built, you know, to let people know that you're not alone, did you experience any of that loneliness or isolation? Yes, I am still doing something ongoing, a lifelong healing journey. Hearts Priscilla Thompson NBC News Midlothian Texas what a great moment, glad to be able to share it, it's the