NBC Nightly News Full Episode - Dec. 30

>>> TONIGHT, BRUTAL. COLD AND BLINDING SNOW. SLAMMING THE GREAT. LAKES AS THIS WINTER. STORM CRIPPLES THE. YEAR-END TRAVEL RUSH. PUNISHING WIND. SNAPPING TREES AND. POWER LINES LEAVING. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS. WITH NO HEAT AND. WHIPPING UP HUGE WAVES. ON LAKE ERIE. PARTS OF THE REGION. BURIED UNDER A FOOT OF. SNOW. CARS COVERED IN ICE. PLANES NAVIGATING NEAR. WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. THE BITTER COLD ONLY.

JUST BEGINNING. >>> QUESTIONS OVER. WHETHER THE CIA. CONDUCTED A COVERT. DRONE STRIKE AFTER. PRESIDENT TRUMP. REVEALED THE FIRST. KNOWN ATTACK ON. VENEZUELAN SOIL. >>> HOSPITALS AND>>> STEFON N. A FELONY CHARGE. WHETHER HE COULD BE. SIDELINED FOR THE. PLAYOFFS. >>> THE SCENE ON ONE. OF CALIFORNIA'S MOST. DANGEROUS MOUNE HIKERS DEAD. Y. HAPPENING TONIGHT AS. CREWS FIGHT AGAINST.

INTENSE WIND. >>> JFK'S. GRANDDAUGHTER AND. MOTHER OF TWO DIES AT. AFTER. A DEADLY FIRE AT HIS. PARENTS' HOME. >>> MEET THE. 104-YEAR-OLD VETERAN. WHO BROUGHT A HOCKEY. ARENA TO ITS FEET. WITH A SAXOPHONE SOLO. "NIGHTLY NEWS" STARTS. RIGHT NOW. >>> THIS IS "NBC. NIGHTLY NEWS"S WITH. TOM LLAMAS. >>> GOOD EVENING. I'M HALLIE JACKSON IN. FOR TOM.

WE ARE COMING ON THE. AIR WITH MILLIONS OF. AMERICANS FACING AN. ICY END TO THE YEAR. LOOK AT THIS VIDEO OUT. OF BUFFALO WHERE. HURRICANE FORCE GUSTS. HIT 79 MILES AN HOUR. THAT'S A 40-YEAR. RECORD. THIS SURGE SO INTENSE. IT WHIPPED UP HUGE. WAVES ON LAKE ERIE. LEAVING CARS ENCASED. IN ICE. THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS. LIKE FROM ABOVE. PLANES PUSHING THROUGH. NEAR WHITEOUT. CONDITIONS. FLIGHT DELAYS PILE UP. COAST TO COAST.

ON THE ROADS, A MESS. WITH CREWS NOW RACING. TO GET THE POWER AND. THE HEAT BACK ON FOR. THOUSANDS IN THE. BITTER COLD. A BRUTAL REMINDER THAT. WINTER IS ONLY JUST. BEGINNING. MAGGIE VESPA IS. TRACKING IT ALL FROM. CHICAGO. >> Reporter: MILLIONS. OF AMERICANS FACING AN. ICY END TO 2025. CREWS RACING TO. RESTORE POWER IN. BUFFALO AFTER DAMAGING. WINDS AND HEAVY. LAKE-AFFECT SNOW LEFT. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS. ACROSS THE MIDWEST AND. EAST COAST WITHOUT. HEAT.

>> LAST NIGHT, SHE HAD. HER COAT ON, THE DUVET. AND TWO BLANKETS. >> Reporter: GUSTS. TOPPING 79 MILES PER. HOUR, A 40-YEAR. RECORD. EAST, OUTSIDE BOSTON, WINDS TOPPLING THIS. TREE. >> JUST TREE. EVERYWHERE, TREE ON. THE CAR. LITERALLY THE WHOLE. DRIVEWAY WAS JUST. TREE. >> Reporter: IN. ROCHESTER, PLANES. NAVIGATING NEAR. WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. NATIONWIDE, FLIGHT. DELAYS SOAR INTO THE.

THOUSANDS WITH GROUND. DELAYS AT MAJOR. AIRPORTS. IT FOLLOWS A FIERCE. WEEKEND OF SEVERE. WINTER WEATHER WITH. SLICK ROADS SLOWING. DRIVERS ACROSS. MULTIPLE STATES. IN NEW JERSEY, THE. RACE IS ON TO FIND. FOSTER HOMES FOR. DOZENS OF DOGS AFTER. PART OF THE ANIMAL. SHELTER COLLAPSED. UNDER HEAVY SNOW. CHICAGO IN SHOCK AFTER. TEMPERATURES PLUMMETED. MORE THAN 40 DEGREES. IN 12 HOURS MONDAY. HAS IT FELT LIKE AN. ERRATIC WINTER? >> ALL OVER THE PLACE.

>> Reporter: A WILD. END TO A YEAR REFUSING. TO FADE AWAY QUIETLY. >> MAGGIE IS JOINING. US LIVE FROM CHICAGO. YOU ARE SEEING. FLURRIES TONIGHT AS WE. ARE LEARNING OF A NEW. WARNING HEADING INTO. THE EVENING? >> Reporter: YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. THE NATIONAL WEATHER. SERVICE WARNING. DRIVERS IN CHICAGO TO. BE CAREFUL DURING THE. RUSH HOUR WITH THREE. MORE INCHES OF SNOW. EXPECTED TO FALL BY. THIS TIME TOMORROW. >> MAGGIE VESPA, THANK. YOU.

>>> NEW SCRUTINY ON. THE FIRST CONFIRMED. U.S. STRIKE ON. VENEZUELA. WITH SOME LAWMAKERS. DEMANDING ANSWERS FROM. THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION ON WHAT. SOME CRITICS CALL AN. ILLEGAL WAR. GABE GUTIERREZ IS. TRAVELING WITH THE. PRESIDENT IN SOUTH. FLORIDA. >> Reporter: THERE ARE. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE. ESCALATION IN THE U.S. PRESSURE CAMPAIGN. AGAINST ALLEGED DRUG. TRAFFICKING IN. VENEZUELA AFTER. PRESIDENT TRUMP. ACKNOWLEDGED THE FIRST. KNOWN STRIKE INSIDE. THE SOUTH AMERICAN. COUNTRY. >> THERE WAS A MAJOR. EXPLOSION IN THE DOCK. AREA.

>> Reporter: THE CIA. IS DECLINING TO. COMMENT ON REPORTS IT. CONDUCTED A DRONE. STRIKE ON A PORT. FACILITY. THE PRESIDENT. PREVIOUSLY SAID HE. AUTHORIZED THE SPY. AGENCY TO TAKE COVERT. ACTION IN VENEZUELA. >> I KNOW EXACTLY WHO. IT WAS. I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT. WAS. >> Reporter: TWO. EYEWITNESSES SAY THEY. SAW AN EXPLOSION AT A. STORAGE HUT IN. NORTHWESTERN VENEZUELA.

ON DECEMBER 18th. THE AFTERMATH SEEN. HERE IN CELL PHONE. VIDEO SHOT BY ONE OF. THE WITNESSES WHO. ADDED REPRESENTATIVES. OF THE GOVERNMENT. SHOWED UP THE NEXT DAY. TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE. IT IS NOT CLEAR IF. THAT INCIDENT WAS THE. SAME STRIKE TRUMP. MENTIONED OR WHETHER. IT WAS A PREVIOUSLY. UNREPORTED EXPLOSION. ALL OF IT COMING AS. THE U.S. KEEPS. TARGETING ALLEGED DRUG. BOATS AT SEA. THE MOST RECENT. KILLING TWO PEOPLE. JUST YESTERDAY. ACCORDING TO THE. PENTAGON. STILL, ANY ATTACKS ON. VENEZUELAN SOIL. DRAWING INCREASING.

SKEPTICISM FROM. LAWMAKERS. >> THEY HAVE BEEN VERY. CLEAR ABOUT TARGETING. THESE DRUG BOATS. WE HAVE CLEAR. INFORMATION THERE. THREATENING VENEZUELA. ITSELF, THEY HAVE BEEN. CRYPTIC AND VERY, I. WOULD SAY, UNCLEAR. WITH WHAT THEY'RE. TRYING TO DO THERE. >> GABE IS JOINING US. WORTH NOTING THAT. DESPITE THE PRESSURE. ON THE MADURO REGIME, THE LEADER HAS BEEN. QUIET ABOUT THIS. STRIKE. >> Reporter: YES. HE HAS NOT COMMENTED.

ON THE STRIKE ON. VENEZUELAN SOIL. DESPITE HOLDING PUBLIC. EVENTS YESTERDAY AND. TODAY. INSTEAD, HE TOUTED HIS. OWN EFFORTS TO FIGHT. NARCO TRAFFICKING. >> GABE GUTIERREZ, THANK YOU. >>> NEW NUMBERS SHOW. FLU INFECTIONS SPIKING. WITH THE CDC REPORTING. 7.5 MILLION CASES THIS. SEASON. THE WORST IS YET TO. COME. EMILIE IKEDA REPORTS. >> Reporter: INSIDE. THIS HOSPITAL, THE. SERIOUSNESS OF THIS. YEAR'S FLU SEASON IS. ON FULL DISPLAY.

>> WE SEE HIGH FEVER, SORE THROAT, COUGH. >> Reporter: THIS. DOCTOR SAYS FLU. PATIENTS ARE. EXPERIENCING MORE. SEVERE SYMPTOMS FOR A. LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. >> WITH THE UPTICK OF. THE FLU, FOUR TO SIX. WEEKS EARLIER, WE SEE. MORE CASES CREATING. MORE VOLUME. >> Reporter: THAT. SURGE IN NEW YORK. DRIVEN BY A MUTATED. VARIANT IS BEING SEEN. ACROSS THE COUNTRY. NEW DATA FROM THE CDC. SHOW HIGH OR VERY HIGH. FLU-LIKE ACTIVITY IN. 29 STATES.

PEDIATRIC DEATHS THIS. SEASON ROSE TO EIGHT. THE NUMBER OF. HOSPITALIZATIONS. RECORDED IN A SINGLE. WEEK NEARLY DOUBLED. >> MY BLOOD PRESSURE. DROPPED TO 71 OVER 41. >> Reporter: THIS. 51-YEAR-OLD WOMAN HAD. NEVER BEFORE BEEN. HOSPITALIZED FOR A. RESPIRATORY ILLNESS. UNTIL THIS MONTH. >> IF I HADN'T WENT TO. THE HOSPITAL IT COULD.

HAVE BECAME DEADLY. >> Reporter: IT'S NOT. FLU. CASES OF COVID, RSV. AND NOROVIRUS IS. RISING. >> IT'S IMPORTANT TO. GET TESTED TO KNOW. WHAT VIRUS YOU HAVE AS. WELL AS WHAT THE. PROPER TREATMENT WOULD. BE. >> Reporter: AS WINTER. VIRUSES HAMPER THE. HOLIDAY SEASON, DOCTORS UNDERSCORING. THE IMPORTANCE OF. VACCINATIONS AND. SITTING OUT OF NEW. YEAR'S EVE. CELEBRATIONS IF YOU. ARE SICK. >> THIS IS GOOD NOT. >> MORGAN CHESKY.

>>> A RESCUE ON A. TREACHEROUS HIKING. TRAIL TURNED INTO A. DANGEROUS RECOVERY. EFFORT. THIS STARTED WHEN. RESCUERS GOT A PHONE. CALL, RIGHT? >> Reporter: THAT'S. RIGHT. THE RECOVERY OPERATION. IS STILL GOING. THIS STARTED YESTERDAY. MORNING WITH A CALL. FROM A FRIEND OF A. 19-YEAR-OLD HIKER WHO. SAID THE TEEN FELL 500. FEET FROM A TRAIL. CALLED THE DEVIL'S. BACKBONE. THEY LOCATED THE. INJURED HIKER. THEY COULDN'T GET TO. HIM BECAUSE OF WIND.

HOURS LATER, CREWS. WERE ABLE TO GET DOWN. TO THE HIKER WHO WAS. PRONOUNCED DEAD ALONG. WITH TWO MORE BODIES. THEY DISCOVERED. NEARBY. TWO OTHERS WERE. RESCUED ON A DIFFERENT. PART OF THE MOUNTAIN. IT'S A POPULAR BUT. DANGEROUS DESTINATION. FOR HIKERS. AUTHORITIES SAY THEY. HAVE CONDUCTED SEVEN. RESCUES IN THE PAST. TWO WEEKS ALONE. >> STEVE, THANK YOU. >>> HEARTBREAKING NEWS. AS WE LEARNED. 35-YEAR-OLD TATIANA. SCHLOSSBERG DIED.

A DEVASTATING DEATH. FOR THE KENNEDY. FAMILY, SHARING SHE. DIED AT JUST 35 YEARS. OLD. THE DAUGHTER OF. CAROLINE KENNEDY AND. GRANDDAUGHTER OF. FORMER PRESIDENT JOHN. F. KENNEDY REVEALING. HER TERMINAL CANCER. DIAGNOSIS LAST MONTH. IN A HEARTBREAKING. ESSAY WRITING, DOCTORS. DISCOVERED SHE HAD. ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA. WHEN THEY PERFORMED. TESTING AFTER SHE GAVE. BIRTH TO HER SECOND. CHILD LAST YEAR. I HAD A SON WHOM I.

LOVED MORE THAN. ANYTHING AND A NEWBORN. I NEEDED TO TAKE CARE. OF. THIS COULD NOT. POSSIBLY BE MY LIFE. SHE DETAILED HER. GRUELING TREATMENT, INCLUDING CHEMOTHERAPY. AND CLINICAL TRIALS. AND HER FIGHT TO SPEND. MORE TIME WITH HER. CHILDREN. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS. THAT MY KIDS, WHOSE. FACES LIVE PERMANENTLY. ON THE INSIDE OF MY. EYELIDS, WOULDN'T. REMEMBER ME. HER ESSAY POINTEDLY. CRITICIZING HER. COUSIN, ROBERT F. KENNEDY JUNIOR, WHO. CUT FUNDING TO CANCER. RESEARCH, CALLING HIS.

TIME ON THE NATIONAL. STAGE AN EMBARRASSMENT. TO ME AND MY IMMEDIATE. FAMILY. SHE WAS AN. ENVIRONMENTAL. JOURNALIST AND SHARED. HER WORK ON "TODAY" IN. 2019. >> CLIMATE CHANGE IS. THE BIGGEST STORY IN. THE WORLD. IF I COULD HELP. COMMUNICATE ABOUT IT, THAT THAT MIGHT. INSPIRE OTHER PEOPLE. TO GET INVOLVED AND. WORK ON THE ISSUE. >> Reporter: THE. KENNEDYS, NO STRANGERS. TO TRAGEDY, FROM THE. ASSASSINATIONS OF. PRESIDENT KENNEDY AND. HIS BROTHER ROBERT TO. THE DEATHS OF HER. UNCLE AND HIS WIFE IN. A PLANE CRASH. TOUCHING ON THE PAIN. FOR HER MOTHER. WRITING, NOW I HAVE.

ADDED A NEW TRAGEDY TO. HER LIFE, TO OUR. FAMILY'S LIFE AND. THERE'S NOTHING I CAN. DO TO STOP IT. HER COUSIN, MARIA. SHRIEVER SAYING SHE. COULD NOT MAKE SENSE. OF LOSING TATIANA, WRITING, SHE LOVED HER. LIFE AND SHE FOUGHT. LIKE HELL TO TRY TO. SAVE IT. HER FAMILY SAYING. TONIGHT, SHE WILL. ALWAYS BE IN OUR. HEARTS. >>> TONIGHT, FOR SOME. 22 MILLION AMERICANS, THE NEW YEAR WILL MEAN. NEW AND HIGHER PRICES. FOR THEIR HEALTH. INSURANCE. BECAUSE CONGRESS. DIDN'T EXTEND. SUBSIDIES FOR THE. AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. THAT'S HAVING A BIG.

IMPACT ON FAMILIES. COAST TO COAST. >> Reporter: JOSEPH IS. SELF-EMPLOYED. IN HIS EARLY 60s. RECENTLY DIAGNOSED. WITH DIABETES. >> A LOT MORE THINGS. ARE ON MY MIND ABOUT. HEALTHCARE THAN A YEAR. AGO. >> Reporter: HIS. PREMIUM COSTS ARE. GOING UP 15% IN THE. NEW YEAR. >> BIGGER THAN MY CAR. PAYMENT. IT'S BETWEEN MY CAR. PAYMENT AND RENT. IT'S GETTING CLOSER. AND CLOSER TO THE. RENT.

>> Reporter: HE IS. AMONG THE MORE THAN 20. MILLION AMERICANS. WHOSE HEALTH INSURANCE. COSTS ARE GOING UP. BECAUSE CONGRESS. FAILED TO COME UP. WITH A PLAN TO. EXTEND OR REFORM. PREMIUM SUBSIDIES TIED. TO OBAMACARE THAT. EXPIRE AT THE END OF. THE YEAR. A KAISER FAMILY. FOUNDATION STUDY FOUND. A FAMILY OF FOUR. MAKING $40,000 OR LESS. WILL SEE THEIR. PREMIUMS GO UP MORE. THAN $800 A YEAR FOR. THEIR ACA PLAN. FAMILIES MAKING OVER. $90,000 WILL SEE THEIR. COSTS JUMP CLOSE TO. $4,000.

REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN. MIKE KENNEDY FROM UTAH. IS A PHYSICIAN. HE BELIEVES THE IMPACT. OF THE PREMIUM HIKES. IS OVERBLOWN AND. ARGUES THE AFFORDABLE. CARE ACT IS IN NEED OF. A MAJOR OVERHAUL. >> I WANT TO MAKE SURE. THEY HAVE ACCESS TO. HIGH QUALITY. HEALTHCARE WHICH I AND. PEOPLES LIKE ME HAVE. BEEN DELIVERING FOR. YEARS. THERE'S A WAY TO MAKE. THIS HAPPEN. >> Reporter: MODERATE. REPUBLICANS AND. DEMOCRATS BELIEVE A. SHORT-TERM EXTENSION. IS NECESSARY WHILE. THEY NEGOTIATE. LONG-TERM REFORM OF. THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

>> THIS IS WHAT THE. PEOPLE WANT. THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE. IS AFFORDABILITY AND. HEALTH INSURANCE IS AT. THE TOP. >> Reporter: HE IS. PREPARED TO ABSORB THE. NEW COSTS WITH THE. HOPE HE DOESN'T GET. SICK. >> I REFER TO IT AS. THE DON'T GET SICK. HEALTH PLAN. STAY HEALTHY AND. THANKFULLY, DESPITE MY. CONDITIONS, I'M PRETTY. HEALTHY. >> Reporter: THE. KAISER FAMILY. FOUNDATION BELIEVES IN.

CONGRESS CAN FIND A. DEAL TO EXTEND THE. SUBSIDIES, IT WILL. STILL BENEFIT MILLIONS. OF AMERICANS. AGAIN. SAM BROCK, NBC NEWS. >>> WE ARE BACK IN A. MOMENT. HOLLYWOOD REMEMBERS A. BELOVED TV STAR. >>> BACK NOW WITH. BREAKING NEWS. ISAIAH WHITLOCK JUNIOR. DIED TODAY. BEST KNOWN FOR HIS. ROLE ON "THE WIRE.". HE STARS IN "VEEP.".

HIS MANAGER SHARING. THE NEWS ONLINE, CALLING HIM A. BRILLIANT ACTOR AND AN. EVEN BETTER PERSON. ADDING, OUR HEARTS ARE. SO BROKEN. HE WAS 71 YEARS OLD. >>> TO THE GROWING. FALLOUT NOW AT THE. KENNEDY CENTER AFTER. PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NAME. WAS ADDED TO THE. BUILDING. MORE ARTISTS ARE. CANCELLING UPCOMING. PERFORMANCES, AFFECTING HOLIDAY. SHOWS SLATED FOR NEW. YEAR'S EVE AND BEYOND. >>> IN NEW JERSEY, SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS. FROM A MUSIC STORE. CAPTURED THIS MAN, LOOK AT THIS, STUFFING. TWO MANDOLINS INTO HIS. COAT AND TAKING OFF. CAMERAS SHOWED HIM. COMING BACK TO RETURN. THE INSTRUMENTS.

THE STORE OWNER SAYS. THE ALLEGED THIEF LEFT. BEHIND THIS NOTE. SAYING, SORRY, I HAD. BEEN DRUNK. MERRY CHRISTMAS ALONG. WITH CHOCOLATES. POLICE SAY NO ARRESTS. HAVE BEEN MADE. >>> WHEN WE COME BACK, THE 104-YEAR-OLD WORLD. WAR II VETERAN WHO. BLEW THE ROOF OFF A. HOCKEY ARENA WITH HIS. SAXOPHONE SOLO AND. INSPIRED US ALL ALONG. THE WAY. >>> FINALLY TONIGHT, WE HAVE ALL HEARD MANY. RENDITIONS OF THE.

NATIONAL ANTHEM. FEW HAVE MOVED A CROWD. LIKE THIS. MEET THE WORLD WAR II. VETERAN, 104 YEARS. YOUNG, WHOSE SAXOPHONE. SOLO BROUGHT THE HOUSE. DOWN IN NEW YORK. >> HERE TO PERFORM OUR. NATIONAL ANTHEM --. >> FOR ONE SONG ON ONE. NIGHT IN NEW YORK --. >> DOMINICK GRATELLI. >> THE HEATED RIVALRY. BETWEEN THE ISLANDERS. AND THE RANGERS WAS. PUT ON ICE. ♪♪. >> THAT'S DOMINICK ON. THE SAXOPHONE. ♪♪.

104 YEARS OLD, A. DECORATED ARMY STAFF. SERGEANT WHO SURVIVED. WORLD WAR II'S BATTLE. OF THE BULGE. HE HAS BEEN PLAYING. THE SAX SINCE HE WAS. 13. ♪♪. THIS PERFORMANCE WAS. PERSONAL. ♪♪. >> I LOST A LOT OF. FRIENDS. I FEEL THAT I'M DOING. THIS FOR THEM.

>> AT HIS HOME ON LONG. ISLAND, HE PRACTICES. AN HOUR EVERY DAY, A. DAILY REHEARSAL TO. HONOR THE BROTHERS IN. ARMS WHO NEVER CAME. BACK. AT THE ARENA, HIS. MISSION WAS SIMPLE, STAY SHARP AND PAY. TRIBUTE TO THE COUNTRY. HE LOVES. >> IS THERE A BETTER. SONG TO PLAY THAN. "STAR SPANGLES. BANNER"?

>> WHEN CHANTS OF USA. RANG THROUGH THE. RAFTERS, HE SAID HE. WAS SO FOCUSED HE. DIDN'T HEAR IT. >> I MISSED THAT. I MISSED THAT. >> HE NAILED EVERY. BEAT BEFORE GIVING THE. CROWD ONE LAST SALUTE. A TRIBUTE TO A CENTURY. OF LIFE HITTING ALL. THE RIGHT NOTES. SOUNDS PERFECT. >>> THAT'S NIGHTLY. NEWS THIS TUESDAY. FOR ALL OF US AT NBC, I'M HALLIE JACKSON, THANKS SO MUCH FOR.