NBC Nightly News Full Episode - April 17

Breaking news tonight, the dangerous night of severe weather, the tornado outbreak across multiple states right now. Millions at risk, tornado sirens going off as people run for shelter, monster funnel clouds ripping across the Midwest at this hour as extremely dangerous storms charge east. This possible twister sending dirt and debris flying. Neighborhoods

underwater. The state of emergency as historic floods move in. Our team on the ground as people debate if it's time to pack up and get out. We're tracking it all. Also breaking tonight Iran's surprise announcement declaring the Strait of Hormuz back open. Though President Trump insists the U.S. naval blockade will remain until a deal is struck. Could both sides come to an agreement as soon as this weekend?

Our new reporting. Stock soaring and oil prices plunging as Wall Street grows optimistic over the Strait of Hormuz opening back up. How long until gas prices come down? New details in the stunning arrest of singer David, months after a teenage girl's body was found inside his Tesla. The video of his arrest obtained by TMZ and where

the case goes from here. Desperate search for answers, the daughter of the woman who went missing in the Bahamas, visiting the boat her mother and stepfather once called home. What's she saying about their relationship. Daring bank heist robbers taking 2 dozen people hostage ransacking security deposit boxes that escaping into sewers robot race malfunction, the humanoid bought exploding at the starting line and taken

away on a stretch. Our new series great Americans in honor of the nation's 250th anniversary. We're highlighting those who bring the country together and tonight my sit down with the most decorated Olympian in history, Michael Phelps how he's living proof of the American dream. Nightly news starts right now.

And good evening. We begin tonight with a dangerous situation unfolding right now in the Midwest with tens of millions of people on alert. This was the scene near Rochester, Minnesota. Look at that. This is just before we came on the air.

You can see that huge funnel cloud from a possible tornado in the distance. That's just one of several reported twisters ripping through the region. And in Wisconsin, you hear it there, a state of emergency is in effect over historic flooding. Take a look at these aerials showing an entire town

totally submerged about an hour from Green Bay. Officials on the ground are warning residents to prepare for the worst as the Wisconsin River overflows. It's unclear how soon conditions will improve. We've got a team covering it all tonight. And Bill Cairns is standing by.

And we start with Shaquille Brewster in the flood zone in Wisconsin.

Tonight, a menacing funnel cloud swirling near Rochester, Minnesota.

There is indeed a tornado on the ground.

Sirens blaring as it tore through. These people watching the twister form in disbelief. Here you can see debris flying through the air. This is the first look at the damage. Trees toppled, home after home ripped to shreds. A suspended tornado also ripping through Lena, Illinois, leaving this trail of damage.

It caps off a week of dangerous weather with at least 40 confirmed tornadoes across the country.

Tonight, 38 million people at risk for severe weather.

That's the airport.

Including in Wisconsin.

Completely underwater.

Where homes and buildings have been swallowed by historic flooding, a state of emergency is in effect. Floodwater surrounding this home, a line of sandbags keeping it back for now. The

swollen Wisconsin River is now threatening the town of Portage. We

have many homes that are underwater, many roads. This is the one road in and

out of Black Hawk Park. You see, it's already partially covered in some areas. Officials now ordering mandatory evacuations saying they're concerned about the structural integrity of the levy. The fire chief telling me the situation is very serious. Water is seeping through the levy.

Yep, water is seeping through.

Yeah, we have the roads that are shut down or based based on water coming through the levy. This whole sidewalk

was not covered yesterday.

Aaron Daly worries if there's any more water, her home will be in trouble.

I'm concerned if it gets any closer, we're gonna probably have to start talking about doing some sandbags.

And with that, Shaq Brewster joins us tonight from Portage, Wisconsin. Shaq, we can see those ominous clouds there behind you. Your area's bracing for more severe weather tonight at any moment?

That's exactly right, Tom threat for potential severe storms as well as potential tornadoes and then there's that flooding. This shows you why officials are so concerned right here when you cross the street.

There's usually about 8 feet of land before you get to the Wisconsin River. That is clearly not the case tonight. Right across the street,

the home is using sandbags to protect their property as we head into the night time. Shaquille Brewster for us with tens of millions facing tornado threats into the night. I want to bring in Bill Cairns right now and bill you're tracking tornado watches as we speak. Yeah, we're right in the middle of a tornado outbreak. We've had 12 official tornado reports so far. We have nine active tornado warnings at this time and the watch is stretched from

Oklahoma all the way up into areas of Wisconsin and Chicago and Saint Louis. You're under these tornado watches until 11 o'clock this evening, so we have a ways to go. The most dangerous storm right now already produced a couple of

tornadoes in northern Illinois. This is north of Rockford, right along Interstate 43, heading into southern Wisconsin. This hook in here is likely where we have a tornado on the ground. Also our friends over in Dubuque, Iowa, you're under a tornado warning. The worst of it is over the top of you. Give another half hour or so and then you

should be into the clear and Kansas City's taking it on the chin. We've have a flash flooding in the Kansas City area to the south. We have a tornado warning with the tornado reported near Belton. This is all going to cross Interstate 70 in Missouri here shortly. A very dangerous evening underway. And we'll stay tracking it throughout the broadcast. Bill, we thank you for that. Now to the sea change in Iran tonight, where the country says it has finally reopened the Strait of Hormuz less than 24 hours

after the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon began. Richard Engel has the latest on whether this could be a turning point for the ceasefire and the greater war. Iran today made a surprise announcement. The country's foreign minister posting that because of the Lebanon ceasefire, Iran is opening the Strait of Hormuz to all commercial vessels. Markets jumped, oil prices

dropped, and President Trump in a flurry of posts and phone calls with journalists said a final deal with Iran to stop the war is coming, perhaps this weekend in peace talks in Pakistan. But Trump said the US military's naval blockade, which is preventing ships from docking in Iranian ports and choking the country's economy, will continue until a final deal is reached.

This process should go very quickly, that most of the points are already negotiated and agreed

to. Trump posted that Iran is now even helping the U.S. remove sea mines from Hormuz, a complete reversal from fighting to cooperation, suggesting the costly seven-week war with Iran may be ending. President Trump told Bloomberg that Iran also agreed to suspend its nuclear program indefinitely. Iran hasn't confirmed that or much of what Trump is claiming.

Trump said he also instructed Israel to stop attacking Lebanon, writing, enough is enough. And today, both Israel and Hezbollah held their fire as tens of thousands of Lebanese returned to their villages, many only finding ruins after Israeli attacks against Hezbollah. I'm right now on Israel's border with Lebanon.

In fact, those houses on the hill over there are inside Lebanon. And just yesterday, this entire area was a closed military zone. Now it's open. But there are risks of a breakdown.

Thousands of Israeli troops remain in Lebanon. And Israel's defense minister today said Israel will hold all areas captured in Lebanon even after the 10-day ceasefire. Hezbollah says it has the right to fight against foreign occupation.

Richard joins us now live. Richard, let's go back to the Strait of Hormuz. Do we know what traffic was like today?

Well, it was extremely slow, Tom. Most shipping companies are taking a wait-and-see approach, not sure how safe transiting the waterway actually is.

Okay, Richard Engel first. Richard, thank you. That announcement that Iran would finally reopen the St strait immediately sending oil prices plummeting Brian Chung is here and Brian stock hits where stocks hit record highs as well yeah Tommy the announcement really sparked a huge surge on Wall Street new record highs on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq which is wild to think about when you

consider stocks were down 8% on the year just a few weeks ago a reminder to stay the course on longer term investments like 401ks even when there are dips. We also saw oil prices plunge 11 percent on hopes tankers can again make free passage through the straight with prices at the pump currently at four dollars and eight cents. Gas buddy now predicts we could see averages nationwide fall to as low as three dollars and thirty five cents by Labor Day. Analysts say it could take some time to get back to pre-war prices because, Tom, key energy production facilities were so badly damaged by the war. Everyone wants those prices to come down. All right, we thank you for that, Brian.

We have a big update in a story we've been covering here. Singer David is behind bars tonight following his arrest for the murder of a 14-year-old Celeste Rivas. He's been under suspicion since the teenager's body was found inside of his Tesla last fall. Here's Camila Bernal. This video shows

police descending on a home in the Hollywood Hills and arresting singer David for the murder of 14 year old Celeste Rivas. In the video from TMZ, officers put his hands behind his back and handcuff him. The teenager's decomposed remains were found in the front trunk of the singer's abandoned Tesla last September in this tow yard. An intense odor led authorities to the discovery

and put David at the center of the investigation.

I've got to make my mind up.

Authorities say the 21-year-old singer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, had not been cooperating. Charges have not been filed, but the case is expected to be presented to the district attorney Monday. Burke's attorneys saying in a statement,

the actual evidence in this case will show that he did not murder Celestri Vaz Hernandez, adding that they will vigorously defend David's innocence. The singer rose to fame on TikTok.

The Internet is really what I claim as my

home. He has millions of followers and was on tour when Rivas's body was found last summer. Law enforcement sources have said her remains were not intact, and according to the medical examiner, it appeared she was dead inside the

Tesla for an extended period of time. And David Burke is being held without bail. The D.A. says prosecutors will review the case and decide whether they have enough evidence to file charges. Tom?

OK, Camila, thank you for that. We're going to be back in 60 seconds with the latest on the American woman missing in the Bahamas. Her daughter now searching for her mom and for answers were with her. What she said about the man who was arrested and let go, that's next.

We're back now with the search for the missing woman in the Bahamas. For nearly two weeks now, in a Dateline exclusive, Lynette Hooker's daughter making her way to that country and searching for answers.

George Solis has the latest. For the first time since her mother, Lynette Hooker, went missing in the Bahamas, Carly Aylsworth is now seeing the boat her mother and stepfather Brian called home before Lynette

disappeared nearly two weeks ago.

Now you have no idea where she is.

Yeah. I never imagined my mom would disappear.

In a dateline exclusive Aylsworth emotional in her desperate search for answers. I'm still trying to

grapple with the fact that she's just not here right now. Bahamian police say

Brian Hooker told them Lynette went overboard in their dinghy while in rough waters. Aylsworth says the couple's relationship was volatile and she

expressed suspicions of Brian since before he was arrested and questioned.

Pardon me feel like he's gonna get away with this and walk away a free man and

I really hope that doesn't happen. Police released Brian Hooker monday after five days in custody. He has not been charged with any wrongdoing and

denies having anything to do with Lynette's disappearance, telling us he plans to keep searching for his wife. I don't

think I've ever been apart from her.

In 25 years

for this long, but he left the country the next day. I just think about Carly Aylsworth says she won't get closure until her mom is found. She was a great

person and she didn't deserve this.

Brian Hooker's attorney says she can't comment when Brian might return to the Bahamas to continue his search for Lynette. Meanwhile, the Bahamian military says search and recovery efforts continue. Tom? Alright, George, we're back in a moment with the bank heist in Italy that has authorities baffled and searching the sewers will explain and the robot prepping for the half marathon when this happened.

We'll tell you more about it next. We're back now with a wild scene out of Naples, Italy. Local media reporting 25 people were taken hostage by bank robbers. The crooks stealing the contents of dozens of safety deposit boxes you see right here, then making their escape escape get this into a hole that led to the city's underground sewers. Police are

searching for any suspects but so far no arrests have been made also tonight a truck carrying approximately 1 million bees crashed in Tennessee. According to the state's Department of Transportation. This video shows some of the beekeepers attempting to take control of the situation. Believe it or not, they were able to get most of the bees and clear them from the highway. And take a look at this wild video of a

military vehicle crash that left two people hospitalized. This was in the UK. There's the vehicle swerving to avoid a car that pulled in front of it. The driver losing control, flipping onto its roof and rolling. Several times police now handing the driver of the other car a six month prison sentence because of this, and this video out of Beijing is wild.

It was a rough start for one humanoid robot training for the upcoming half marathon. You can see it here. The robot trips over the starting line of the practice before shattering into pieces.

Crews were quick to rush the injured bot off on a stretcher. The accident took place during a rehearsal for the humanoid robot half marathon expected to host more than 70 teams. You know this is gonna become a meme very soon when we come back our brand new nightly news series. Great Americans. A look at the people who helped make this great country what it is. And tonight he dominated in the pool, but he struggled with his mental health.

Ahead, my moving conversation with the great Michael Phelps. Finally tonight, as we get ready to celebrate 250 years of this great nation, a new weekly series about great Americans, where we talk with those who have achieved so much and help so many about their life and how this country contributed to their success. Tonight, a true American icon, the most decorated Olympian of all time we cheer them on across 5 Olympics, but after he

left the sport that's when his new mission began our great American this week, Michael Phelps. What do you love about America?

I mean, I guess the long pause is just. What's not to love?

History is it going to be a world record? Yes, the world saw machine a shark in the water. a swimmer, Arslan, that no one could beat with a staggering 6'7 wingspan.

Double jointed, elbows, wrists, ankles, kind of everywhere. So yeah, I guess I was built to swim.

Michael Phelps, once a boy terrified of the pool, grew up to find a sanctuary in it. You were growing up with ADHD.

Yeah.

But when you were in the pool, you're completely focused. Why do you think that was?

I think it was just peaceful for me. My parents separating and stuff that I was dealing with as a child, it was a quiet place, right? It was almost therapeutic. And I could swim with anger. At just 15 years old, he made his Olympic debut in Sydney,

but missed the podium.

Whenever I had a defeat, that was more motivating than any of my victories.

He's going to break the world record!

By the time he got to Beijing, he went eight for eight.

Fast at the end! Gets it done!

A feat never before seen in the history of the games.

I think the proudest part about it is the hard work that I put in no one outworked me through those 20 years of my career that's a fact.

But at the peak of his career, he juggled a private painful struggle with depression. You break this record in Beijing and you stay motivated so when you're waking up those next 4 years, what's kind of driving you?

To be honest, those next four years were brutal. I had accomplished something that no one ever had thought about maybe before. And I was kind of like, cool, what's next? What am I supposed to do? My mental state was not good and I was spiraling.

For years, his solution was to dive back in. And that climb to the top of the mountain, he says, left him with nowhere else to go.

I was prescribed Ambien at that time. So, you know, I'm happy I only had 30 milligrams left. What if I had 100? Probably would have taken it off. So, you know, for me at that point, I was just like, something's got to change.

So for the first time in his life, Michael Phelps asked for help.

My whole career I looked in the mirror and saw somebody with a pair of goggles on and a swimming cap, not somebody with feelings and emotions. That was the first time I ever saw myself. I see me now and it's gray beard and a man bun and I love it because I'm able to talk about my feelings and emotions.

Today through the Michael Phelps Foundation, he's teaching a new generation that the mind needs training as much as the body. You have people that stop you when you're out in public and they say, you saved my life. That's just heavy.

It's wild. And for me, that's better than winning an Olympic gold medal, right? There's nothing you can say, nothing you can do that's better than winning an Olympic gold medal. Right? There's nothing you can say, nothing you can do that's better than that.

Phelps returned to the pool for one final act, in Rio, carrying the flag for a nation that had watched him grow up. This moment, he earned. You hold that flag, you have Team USA behind you. What does it feel like?

I'm getting chills talking about this because we walked out as one. We walked out together. And for me, I think that just speaks volume about who we are as a nation. The more we come together as one, the things that we're able to accomplish is unbelievable and it's so powerful.

When he looks back now, it's not the heavy weight of gold he misses most.

Being able to hear the national anthem play, gosh, every time I hear it I cry. I mean, I had an opportunity to do something that I loved and represented my country and that chance for what people do for our country. They fight for our country, right? To give us the chance to do what we do every day. And I was thankful for it.

And to that question, what do you love about America?

I mean, I guess you love it all.

An answer born of hard work in the pool and out.

We all have our political things that we go through as countries, but the chance to just be our own authentic, free individual, I think is something that's really powerful. No matter who we are, what we want to do, who we want to be, we're allowed to be that.

Michael Phelps, this week's Great American. And if there's a Great American you want us to know about, email us at greatamericans at NBCuni.com. That's Nightly News for this Friday. I'm Tom Yamas. We thank you so much for watching.

Tonight and always, we're here for you.

Good night.

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