NBC Nightly News Full Episode - Feb. 25

♪♪. >>> TONIGHT, THE CLOSE. CALL, RUNWAY AT MIDWAY. AIRPORT, SCARY SCENE. IN CHICAGO. SOUTHWEST JET COMES IN. FOR A LANDING, THEN. PULLS UP TO AVOID. HITTING ANOTHER PLANE, ENTIRE THING CAUGHT ON. CAMERA. HOW IT HAPPENED AND. WHY IT'S JUST THE. LATEST UNNERVING. INCIDENT RATTLING. FLYERS IN AMERICA'S. SKIES. >>> MORE THAN 20 DOGE. STAFFERS.

RESIGN UNDER CONCERNS. WHETHER AMERICAN'S. DATA IS BEING. COMPROMISED. AS THERE ARE NEW. PROTESTS ON CAPITOL. HILL AND NOW. SOME REPUBLICAN. LAWMAKERS WARNING THE. WHITE HOUSE TO SLOW. DOWN ON DEEP CUTS. >>> STUNNING RULING. FROM THE SUPREME. COURT. FIRST IT BLOCKED THE. EXECUTION OF RICHARD. GLOSSIP, NOW IT'S. ORDERING A NEW TRIAL. ONE OF OF THE MOST. CLOSELY WATCHED DEATH. ROW CASE IN AMERICA. WHAT HE TOLD ME ONCE.

>>> OPENING STATEMENTS. IN THE HATE CRIME CASE. THAT PROVOKED OUTRAGE, A LANDLORD ACCUSED OF. KILLING A 6-YEAR-OLD. PALESTINIAN BOY. >>> SHUTTING DOORS, CRAFTING GIANT JO-ANN. CLOSING ITS. LOCATION, MIGHT BE THE. WORST YEAR EVER FOR. BRICK AND MORTAR. RETAILERS. 4 14,000 STORES TO. CLOSE NATIONWIDE. >>> HIGH STEAKS. BEEF PRICES SOAR AND. HERDS DWINDLE. >>> AND THERE'S GOOD. NEWS TONIGHT, A. TOUCHING EXPERIENCE. FOR BASKETBALL FANS. ENJOYING THE GAME LIKE. NEVER BEFORE. >> Announcer: THIS IS.

"NBC NIGHTLY NEWS". WITH LESTER HOLT. >>> GOOD EVENING AND. WELCOME. IN ANY CONTEXT THE. SIGHT OF TWO PLANES ON. A COLLISION COURSE. WOULD RATTLE THE MOST. SEASONED FLIER. BUT THINK ABOUT IT, AGAINST THE BACKDROP. OF A STRING OF AERIAL. CATASTROPHES. AND NEAR CATASTROPHES, WHAT HAPPENED AT. CHICAGO'S MIDWAY. AIRPORT IS DRAWING. DEEP CONCERN. THE VIDEO SHOWS.

A SOUTHWEST AIRLINES. JET ON ITS FINAL. LANDING APPROACH. JUST AS IT'S ABOUT TO. TOUCH THE GROUND, A. SMALL BUSINESS JET. ROLLS RIGHT INTO ITS. PATH. THE QUICK REACTING. SOUTHWEST CREW. AVERTING POTENTIAL. DISASTER, CLIMBING OUT OF HARM'S. WAY AND RETURNING FOR. A SAFE LANDING. THE FAA SAYS THE. BUSINESS JET ENTERED. THE RUNWAY WITHOUT. AUTHORIZATION. THE FRIGHTENING. EPISODE, ONE IN A. SERIES OF. SEEMINGLY UNCONNECTED. AVIATION INCIDENTS. THAT HAVE MANY PEOPLE. ASKING WHAT IS GOING. ON. ERIN McLAUGHLIN.

>> Reporter: TONIGHT. AT CHICAGO MIDWAY. INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AN INVESTIGATION AFTER. ANOTHER STUNNINGLY. CLOSE CALL. THE VIDEO CAPTURED ON. AN AIRPORT WEBCAM. SHOWS FLIGHT 2504. NEARLY TOUCHING DOWN. AT THE SAME MOMENT A. PRIVATE JET CROSSES. THE RUNWAY. THE FLIGHT ABRUPTLY. PULLS UP, AVERTING. POTENTIAL DISASTER. >> SOUTHWEST 2504. GOING AROUND. >> IT WAS SURREAL. >> Reporter: THESE. PASSENGERS WERE ON. BOARD THE FLIGHT FROM.

OMAHA. WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR. MIND WHEN YOU SAW THE. VIDEO? >> SHOCK. WE WERE SO OBLIVIOUS. TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING. BECAUSE THE PILOT WAS. SO CALM, AND HE ACTED. LIKE IT WAS AN. EVERYDAY THING. >> Reporter: THE FAA. SAYS THE PRIVATE JET. ENTERED THE RUNWAY. WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION. FLEXJET SAYS IT'S. INVESTIGATING AND. ADHERES TO THE HIGHEST. SAFETY STANDARDS. MEANWHILE, SOUTHWEST SAYS THE. CREW FOLLOWED SAFETY. PROCEDURES, CIRCLED. THE AIRPORT AND LANDED. SAFELY. THIS IS THE LATEST IN. A STRING OF AIR.

DISASTERS AND MISHAPS. FROM THE 34ID MIDAIR. COLLISION THAT KILLED. 67 NEAR REAGAN. NATIONAL AIRPORT, TO. THE COLLISION IN. PHILADELPHIA, A CRASH. LANDING IN TORONTO, AND RECENTLY, AN. EMERGENCY LANDING OVER. ATLANTA. >> THE CIRCUMSTANCES. HAVE BEEN QUITE. DIFFERENT IN EACH ONE. OF THE ACCIDENTS OR. INCIDENTS. IT'S STILL TOO EARLY. TO DRAW A COMMON. THREAD THROUGH ALL OF. THEM. >> Reporter: ALL OF IT. RATTLING TRAVELERS. NATIONWIDE. FROM A CONSUMER.

CONFIDENCE STANDPOINT, ARE WE NEARING A. TIPPING POINT? >> NO. I DON'T THINK WE'RE. NEARING A TIPPING. POINT, BUT. AVIATION IS STILL. INCREDIBLY SAFE, HOPEFULLY THIS IS NOT. THE BEGINNING OF A. LONG-TERM TREND. >> ERIN, AS THESE. THINGS GO, HOW SERIOUS. WAS THIS LATEST. INCIDENT? >> NEAR MISSES FALL. INTO DIFFERENT. CATEGORIES. THE INVESTIGATION FOR. TODAY IS ONGOING, BUT. THE EXPERT SAID IT. COULD BE A CLASS A. NEAR MISS, MOST.

SERIOUS KIND. HE SAYS THEY'RE. EXTREMELY. RARE AND HAVE BEEN. DECLINING IN RECENT. YEARS. LESTER. >> THANK YOU. >>> TONIGHT THE WHITE. HOUSE SAYS 1 MILLION. FEDERAL WORKERS HAVE. SENT IN A LIST OF FIVE. THINGS THEY. ACCOMPLISHED LAST. WEEK, PART OF A. DIRECTIVE FROM ELON. MUSK, AS. SOME THROUGH FRAUD.

>> I THINK THE VAST. MAJORITY OF THE. AMERICAN PEOPLE. APPLAUD AND. APPRECIATE THE GOAL TO. SCALE DOWN THE SCOPE. OF GOVERNMENT. >> AND PRESIDENT TRUMP. ALSO MADE. HEADLINES WHEN YOU. PRESSED HIM ABOUT. UKRAINE. >> Reporter: THAT'S. RIGHT, PRESIDENT TRUMP. SAYING A DEAL ON RARE. EARTH MINERALS TO. REPAY THE U.S. FOR. MILITARY AID TO. UKRAINE IS CLOSE. AND HE DISMISSED. COMMENTS FROM THE.

KREMLIN THAT EUROPEAN. PEACEKEEPERS WOULD NOT. BE ACCEPTABLE TO. RUSSIA, SAYING THERE. WOULD HAVE TO BE A. PEACEKEEPING FORCE OF. SOME KIND IN UKRAINE. LESTER. >>> THOUSANDS OF. GOVERNMENT WORKERS IN. LIMBO, GABE GUTIERREZ. HAS MORE ON THAT. >> Reporter: FROM ANNE. PULLMAN IN INDIANA WHO. LOST THEY ARE JOB AS A. NATIONAL PARK TRACTOR. OPERATOR --. >> EMOTIONAL ROLLER. COASTER. >> TO AN OUT-OF-WORK. CDC RESEARCHER. >> THEY NEED TO TRAIN. SOMEONE FOR YEARS TO. GET THE EXPERIENCE. >> Reporter: THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION.

SLASHING OF THE WORK. FORCE IS HITTING HOME. BEYOND THE NATION'S. CAPITAL. 80% OF THE WORK FORCE. IS OUTSIDE D.C. >> CHAOS WOULD BE THE. BEST WORD FOR IT. >> Reporter: IN. PENNSYLVANIA, UNION. LEADER WHO REPRESENTS. HUNDREDS OF WORKERS AT. THE UNITED STATES. PENITENTIARY WERE TORN. HOW TO RESPOND TO THE. ELON MUSK DIRECTIVE TO. LIST. FIVE THINGS THEY. ACCOMPLISHED. >> I DON'T THINK WE. SHOULD HAVE TO JUSTIFY. WHAT WE DO. >> Reporter: AN AIR.

FORCE VETERAN. WORKING ON. RESTOCKING ICUs UNTIL. YESTERDAY. >> LET DOWN. >> Reporter: WHAT WENT. THROUGH YOUR HEAD WHEN. YOU SAW THE EMAIL? >> I WAS JUST IN. SHOCK, HONESTLY. BECAUSE I NEVER HAD AN. ISSUE WITH MY JOB. >> Reporter: SHE SAYS. SHE RECEIVED THE EMAIL. JUST 20 MINUTES AFTER. SUBMITTING HER FIVE. BULLET POINTS. DETAILING HER. ACCOMPLISHMENTS. >> THIS IS AFFECTING. REAL PEOPLE. MY JOB IS ESSENTIAL. I'M A VETERAN, SERVED. THIS COUNTRY AND DON'T. WANT IT TO BE ALL FOR. NOTHING.

>> Reporter: THE CHIEF. TECHNOLOGY OFFICER AT. THE. NATIONAL CANCER. INSTITUTE SAID SHE HAD. PERFECT SCORES ON HER. PERFORMANCE. EVALUATIONS. >> IT'S BEEN A SURREAL. EXPERIENCE. >> Reporter: ON. VALENTINE'S DAY SHE. WAS TOLD TO EXPECT THE. DREADED EMAIL LAYING. HER OFF AND RECEIVED. IT THE NEXT DAY. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO. PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR. DONALD TRUMP AND. BELIEVE THAT. GOVERNMENT GOT TOO. BIG? >> I CAN UNDERSTAND. THEIR CONCERNS AND. THERE ARE WAYS THAT. ONE COULD LOOK AT. TRYING TO BE MORE. EFFICIENT.

BUT I DON'T THINK THIS. WAS THAT. >> MUSK IS DEFENDING. HIS DIRECTIVE FOR. EMPLOYEES TO LIST. THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, SAYING IT'S DONE IN. THE PRIVATE SECTOR. AND HE'S JUST ASKING. THEM TO DO WHAT. EVERYBODY ELSE DOES. LESTER. >>> NOW TO A STORY. WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING A. LONG TIME, THE CASE OF. DEATH. ROW INMATE RICHARD. GLOSSUP. IN A RARE MOVE TODAY, THE SUPREME COURT. TOSSED OUT HIS. CONVICTION AND. RULED HE'S ENTITLED IN.

A NEW TRIAL. LAURA JEREP. >> Reporter: HE'S BEEN. ON DEATH ROW MORE THAN. 20 YEARS, BUT TODAY. THE SUPREME COURT. GRANTED HIM A NEW. TRIAL. >> HE'S BEYOND. THRILLED. WE SUFFERED THROUGH. NINE EXECUTION DATES. AND THREE LAST MEALS. AND ALL HE WANTED WAS. THE TRUTH TO COME OUT. >> Reporter: CONVICTED. IN OKLAHOMA FOR. ORGANIZING THE 1997. KILLING. OF HIS BOSS, GLOSSIP. HAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED. HIS INNOCENCE. LESTER SPOKE WITH HIM. BY PHONE IN 2023.

>> DID YOU HAVE. ANYTHING TO DO WITH. THE MURDER? >> I DID NOT. >> Reporter: INDEPENDENT REVIEWS OF. THE CASE COMMISSIONED. BY STATE OFFICIALS. FINDING THE. PROSECUTION DESTROYED. KEY EVIDENCE BEFORE. HIS TRIAL AND FAILED. TO CORRECT FALSE. TESTIMONY FROM A KEY. WITNESS, PROMPTING A. RARE CONCESSION FROM. OKLAHOMA'S ATTORNEY. GENERAL THAT THE. CONVICTION SHOULD BE. OVERTURNED. LESTER SITTING DOWN. IN 2023. WITH TWO CONSERVATIVE. LAWMAKERS FIGHTING ON.

GLOSSIP'S BEHALF JUST. AS. THE NEWS BROKE THAT. THE SUPREME COURT. AGREED TO HEAR THE. CASE AND STOP. GLOSSIP'S EXECUTION. >> YES! >> THAT'S AWESOME. >> Reporter: THE JUSTICES. CONCLUDING THAT THE. PROSECUTION VIOLATED. ITS CONSTITUTIONAL. OBLIGATION TO GLOSSIP. BUT AN ATTORNEY FOR. THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES. REMAIN UNDETERRED. >> THEY'RE CONFIDENT. WHEN THERE'S A RETRIAL. IN THE CASE, IT WILL. CLEARLY SHOW. HIM GUILTY OF FIRST. DEGREE MURDER.

>> WHAT COMES NEXT, THE D.A.'S OFFICE HAS. FORMED A COMMITTEE TO. REVIEW ALL CASES. ELIGIBLE FOR THE DEATH. PENALTY AND NO. DECISIONS ABOUT. MR. GLOSSIP'S CASE. WILL BE MADE UNTIL. THAT'S COMPLETE. >>> THE MURDER TRIAL. FOR THE ILLINOIS. LANDLORD ACCUSED OF. THE HATE CRIME DEATH. OF A 6-YEAR-OLD. PALESTINIAN AMERICAN. BOY. MAGGIE VESPA WAS IN. COURT FOR THE. EMOTIONAL FIRST DAY OF. TESTIMONY. >> Reporter: TONIGHT. IN SUBURBAN CHICAGO,

HATE CRIME TRIAL FOR. THE. MAN CHARGED FOR THE. VICIOUS MURDER OF A. 6-YEAR-OLD PALESTINIAN. AMERICAN BOY IS UNDER. WAY. WITH HIS MOTHER. TESTIFYING IN THE DAYS. FOLLOWING THE OCTOBER. 7, 2023, ATTACKS BY. HAMAS, HER LANDLORD. OF TWO YEARS TOLD HER. YOUR PEOPLE IS. KILLING JEWISH AND. BABIES IN ISRAEL. MUSLIM ARE NOT WELCOME. IN MY HOME. DAYS LATER SCREAMING. YOU'RE NOT DOING. ANYTHING ABOUT IT. SHE SAID ADDED, I TOLD HIM TO PRAY FOR. PEACE.

TESTIFYING THE. 71-YEAR-OLD ATTACKED, STRANGLING AND TELLING. HER SON HE'LL RAISE. HIM BUT DON'T TELL. PEOPLE I KILLED YOUR. MOM. SHE TESTIFIED SHE. FOUGHT HIM OFF, RAN TO. THE BATHROOM, THEN HE ATTACKED HER. SON, STABBING HIM 26. TIMES, LEAVING THE. KNIFE IN THE BOY. HER ATTORNEY SPEAKING. ON HER BEHALF. >> HE WAS A INNOCENT, DEFENSELESS LITTLE BOY. WHOSE ONLY CRIME WAS. BEING PALESTINIAN AND. MUSLIM.

>> Reporter: PROSECUTORS SAY HIS. WIFE TOLD. INVESTIGATORS HE HAD. BEEN LISTENING TO. CONSERVATIVE TALK. RADIO ABOUT THE WAR. HE'S PLEADED NOT. GUILTY TO FIRST DEGREE. MURDER AND HATE CRIME. CHARGES. HIS ATTORNEYS. QUESTIONING THE. ACCOUNT OF THE ATTACK. TELLING THE JURY. POLICE ASSUMED HE WAS. GUILTY EVEN THOUGH HE. WAS OUTSIDE, UNARMED. ADVOCATES PUSHING FOR. THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE, LIFE IN PRISON. >> SO WE CAN SEND A. MESSAGE HATE CRIMES. AGAINST ANYONE ON THE. BASIS OF RELIGION AND.

NATIONAL ORIGIN ARE. NOT TOLERATED. >> Reporter: ONE. JURY MEMBER. TEARING UP WATCHING. THE BODY CAMERA VIDEO. OF THE POLICE OFFICER. WHO TESTIFIED ABOUT. FINDING THE BODY. >>> FIRST IT WAS EGGS, NOW BEEF P. >>> BY NOW YOU KNOW.

EGG PRICES ARE UP. BUT THE COST OF YOUR. NEXT BURGER OR STEAK. MAY BE, TOO. BEEF PRICES ARE ON THE. RISE WITH. MULTIPLE ISSUES. HITTING RANCHERS. MORGAN CHESKY, THE. PRICE YOU PAY. >> Reporter: ON HIS. CALIFORNIA CATTLE. RANCH, KEVIN SAYS HE'S. JUST TRYING TO STAY. AFLOAT. >> BIGGEST CHALLENGE. WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW. IS THE COST OF DOING. BUSINESS. >> Reporter: THE FIFTH. GENERATION RANCHER NOW. OPERATES WITH HALF THE. CATTLE HE USED TO. HAVE. THE LIFEBLOOD OF YOUR. FAMILY RUNS THROUGH. THIS HERD. >> IT DOES.

THIS IS THE LIFELINE, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. ELSE. >> Reporter: HE WOULD. LOVE TO REBUILD THE. HERD, BUT SAYS HE'S. BEEN FORCED TO SELL. OUT CATTLE DUE TO. DROUGHT. NATIONWIDE THEY'RE. CAUGHT IN A STRUGGLE. DRIVING BEEF PRICES. UP. THEY'RE CONVERGING. THE INDUSTRY FACING. RISING INTEREST RATES, HIGH GRAIN PRICES AND. A SHRINKING U.S. CATTLE INVENTORY, THE. SMALLEST SINCE 1951. >> THEY'RE FACING HIGH. COSTS TO DO BUSINESS. NOW. THAT MEANS THE BEEF WE.

BUY IS ULTIMATELY. GOING TO BE MORE. EXPENSIVE. >> Reporter: POPULAR. CUTS LIKE USDA SIRLOIN. STEAKS NOW NEAR RECORD. HIGHS. GROUND BEEF AS WELL, SELLING FOR 43% MORE. THAN FIVE YEARS AGO. THIS ON TOP OF THE. INCREASE IN EGG PRICES. HITTING CONSUMERS DUE. TO THE AVIAN FLU. THE AVERAGE PRICE OF. EGGS UP 53% COMPARED. TO A YEAR AGO. BACK ON THE RANCH, KESTER SAYS THEY'VE. WEATHERED STORMS. BEFORE. BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT. >> I'M OPTIMISTIC.

ABOUT THE FUTURE BUT. IT'S GOING TO TAKE A. LOT OF HARD WORK TO. MAKE OUR FAMILY. OPERATIONS SUCCESSFUL. FOR FUTURE. GENERATIONS. >> Reporter: TONIGHT. RELIEF COULD BE A WAYS. OFF FOR CONSUMERS AND. RANCHERS. EXPERTS SAYING IT WILL. TAKE NOT MONTHS BUT. YEARS FOR THE HERDS TO. GROW TO MEET THE. DEMAND. LESTER. >> MORGAN. THANKS. >>> WE'RE BACK IN A. MOMENT WITH A RETAIL. RECKONING, WHY A. RECORD NUMBER STORES.

>>> ALL RIGHT, WE'RE. BACK NOW WITH WHAT IS. A MOUNTING MOMENT OF. RECKONING FOR THE. RETAIL INDUSTRY. CHRISTINE ROMANS. REPORTS ON THE. EXPECTATION THAT A. STUNNING NUMBER OF. BRICK AND MORTAR. STORES WILL CLOSE THIS. YEAR. >> Reporter: FOR. PEOPLE WHO LOVE TO. SHOP AT JO-ANN, THE. FABRIC STORE WITH. ABOUT 800 LOCATIONS. AROUND. THE U.S., TIME IS. RUNNING OUT. >> I JUST FINISHED A. QUILT, I SAID WHERE AM. I GOING TO GO NOW.

>> YOU LIKE TO GO. TOUCH, FEEL, LOOK AT. COLORS, SEE IF IT. MATCHES WHEN YOU'RE. MAKING STUFF. YOU CAN'T DO THAT. ONLINE. >> Reporter: NOW THE. ONE-TIME LARGEST. FABRICS RETAILER IN. THE COUNTRY WITH SOME. 19,000. EMPLOYEES IS CLOSING. ALL OF ITS STORES. >> I'LL BE SORRY TO. SEE THIS GO. >> Reporter: IT'S PART. OF AN EXPECTED. RECORD-SETTING YEAR OF. 15,000 RETAIL STORE. CLOSURES. PARTY CITY, BIG LOTS, WALGREENS AND MACY'S. JUST SOME OF THE. COMPANIES SHUTTERING.

LOCATIONS. >> WE'VE GOT POLICY. UPHEAVALS WITH. TARIFFS, WE'VE GOT. DEMAND. UPHEAVAL IN TERMS OF. COMPETITION. >> Reporter: JOHN. MERCER, THE HEAD OF. GLOBAL RESEARCH AT A. FIRM FOCUSED ON. TECHNOLOGY'S IMPACT ON. RETAIL. IT'S NOT HOW MUCH. CONSUMERS ARE SPENDING. BUT THE OTHER FACTORS. >> YEAH, WE THINK IT'S. CONTEXT. CONSUMER SPENDING IS. STRONG, IT'S WHERE IT. GOES. >> MASSIVE HAUL. >> Reporter: ONLINE.

DISCOUNT RETAILERS ARE. EATING INTO RETAILERS. AS. CUSTOMERS ARE. FRUSTRATED WITH POOR. CUSTOMER SERVICE AND. LOCKED UP GOODS AT. STORES. ADDING TO THE PROBLEM, AMERICANS ARE. GROWING PESSIMISTIC. ABOUT THE ECONOMY, CONSUMER CONFIDENCE. INDEX DOWN ALMOST 7%, BIGGEST MONTHLY. DECLINE IN ALMOST FOUR. YEARS. A RECORD NUMBER OF. STORE CLOSURES BECOME OF.

>>> THERE IS GOOD NEWS. TONIGHT ABOUT THE. NBA'S PORTLAND TRAIL. BLAZERS. AND SOME. BRAND NEW FEEL FOR THE.

GAME. STEVE PATTERSON, NBC. NEWS, PORTLAND. >> A REAL SUPER FAN. THAT'S "NIGHTLY NEWS". FOR THIS TUESDAY. THANK YOU FOR. WATCHING, I'M LESTER. HOLT, PLEASE TAKE CARE. OF YOURSELF AND EACH. OTHER.