Crossing highways. Debris flying as storms sweep through oklahoma and texas. Tonight, damage, roofs ripped off homes. Tens of millions at risk for the weekend. Were tracking it. Also tonight, the new witnesses in Donald TrumpsHush Money Trial including his longtime assistant. What she told the jury about Stormy Daniels and Karen Mcdougal. Two women who claim to have had affairs with the former president. ,. The former president. The major shift for President Biden now saying hes happy to debate donald trump. How mr. Trump is responding. The massive inferno. A train Carrying Gasoline and Propane Derailing in new mexico. The new crackdown as propalestinian demonstrations spread on campuses, and after usc canceled its main commencement, will others follow . Our nbc news investigation, our crews in gaza documenting several deadly strikes in zones where israel told displaced civilians theyd be safe. The promising news in king charles battle with cancer and when he plans to return to his royal duties. And after falling on hard times, the town that was saved by beer. Announcer this is Nbc Nightly News with lester holt. Good evening, and welcome. We are tracking a damaging Tornado Outbreak, that rampage across the center of the country. Texas, oklahoma, nebraska among the states in the line of fire. A Tornado Emergency declared in parts of nebraska meaning large tornadoes were on the ground threatening population centers. Many of the images as frightening as they are dramatic. Tonight tornado watches stretching nearly 900 miles. Well tell you who is at risk as we head into the night in a moment, but first jesse kirsch with the latest. Jesse, this is hitting a wide area of the country. Reporter thats right, lester. Millions of americans are in the bullseye including where we are in kansas city, missouri. You can see wind gusts are starting to pick up here. Meanwhile, there have already been some tornadoes in other states leaving behind a path of destruction. [ sirens ] tonight, a Tornado Outbreak is unfolding across nebraska. Over a dozen twisters already reported with more Severe Weather on the way. In the lincoln, nebraska, area, debris seen swirling as this violent tornado ripped across an interstate. Elsewhere, some drivers heading towards the ominous sky. Somethings just been hit. Reporter and this omaha neighborhood seeming to take a direct hit. The entire down the street there are no houses. Up the street there are no houses either. It took everything in about five or ten minutes, and its gone. Reporter tornadoes also reported around waco, texas, today and farther south in austin inbound flights were temporarily grounded because of thunderstorms. This same storm system has been stretching across the u. S. Since yesterday. In oklahoma, this semi truck flipped over as this colorado home was damaged. Its so awful, what happened. Reporter now, kansas city, omaha, and tulsa are bracing. Residents here in Central Oklahoma woke up to tornado sirens, found parts of the rooftops flung onto the street, even cars nearby. Reporter and the pressure only expected to increase tomorrow over an even larger area with 33 million in the path of Severe Weather from the great lakes to texas. That means more tornadoes, flooding, hail, and strong winds are all possible on saturday, and theres also Severe Weather in sundays forecast as we head into a weekend that for some will bring little relief. Jesse kirsch, nbc news, kansas city, missouri. We want to go right now to angie lassman, who is tracking the storm threat. Angie, as we heard there, the volatile weekend of weather just beginning. Reporter youre exactly right, lester. Those violent tornadoes today Throwing Debris as far as 25 feet and tornado watches continue across the midsection of the country through at least 9 00 p. M. Tonight. All hazards will be on the table. Were talking more strong winds, hail, and, of course, those tornadoes. As we look ahead to tomorrow, the threat continues. Well see that expanding now to more than 30 Million People from the great lakes to the southern plains, and you guessed it. More of those ef2 tornadoes possible with the ingredients there for those strong systems to move through for kansas city and oklahoma, itll be a Double Whammy as well with heavy rain leaving us with the potential for Flash Flooding across parts of the center of the country, lester. All right. Angie, thank you. Well, for most of the week he has sat in a new york courtroom, a former president listening to the claims about the relationships and the money prosecutors say are at the heart of the criminal case against him. Late today Donald TrumpsExecutive Assistant took the stand. Heres laura jarrett. Reporter tonight, the prosecution closing out the first week of testimony by offering the jury a peek inside the Inner Workings of the Trump Organization from one of the people who knows the former president best. The state briefly calling ronna graff, her longtime assistant. She confirmed contacts were saved on the companys Computer System for Karen Mcdougal and stormy, an apparent reference to Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors say both women were Shopping Stories of sex with mr. Trump ahead of the 2016 election, encounters he denies. Are you nervous about Stormy Daniels testimony . Reporter at the heart of the case, a 130,000 Payment Cohen made to daniels so she wouldnt go public and how prosecutors say that payment was disguised. But graff shed no light on that. Graff testified even though she no longer works for the Trump Organization, the company is paying her legal bills. The jury also hearing from gary farro, who helped facilitate the payment from cohen to daniels, but the day began with them trying to undercut the testimony of david pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer and key witness for prosecutors testifying at length about how he helped silence people who could have hurt mr. Trumps election chances. Mr. Trumps lawyer sought to raise questions about peckers memory and motives on crossexamination. Pecker defiant at one point saying, ive been truthful to the best of my recollection. The Tabloid Mogul also undermining the idea mr. Trump wanted to bury those stories about women to protect his family, a common refrain from the defense. Instead, pecker said he believed it was all to protect his campaign. I do have to begin by wishing melania happy birthday. Shes in florida. Reporter Melania Trump notably absent at trial. Laura, does it appear prosecutors got what they needed from david pecker this week . Lester, pecker is a useful witness for prosecutors to the extent he can testify about conversations about mr. Trump that touch on his alleged scheme to influence the election, but what he cant offer, lester, is any evidence on the actual crime that the former president has been indicted for, which isnt a Campaign Finance violation. Its the way his payments to cohen were documented on his internal records. Now, well see if other witnesses can speak more directly to that, lester. Okay, laura, thank you. President biden was also in new york today giving a rare interview to radio host howard stern and making news about whether hell debate mr. Trump. Peter alexander joins us. What did he say . Reporter for months he refused to say whether he will agree to a faceoff with former president trump, but today he told howard stern, im, quote, happy to debate him, though he didnt say when or how many times. It would be a dramatic sequel to their feisty debates four years ago. Outside court mr. Trump did not participate in any of the republican primary debates and said he is willing to debate President Biden as soon as tonight. The president ial Debate Commission has scheduled three beginning in september but Neither Campaign has formally committed. Lester. Peter, thank you. Across the country today, new propalestinian demonstrations at College Campuses and crackdowns by the police. Liz kreutz has late developments. Reporter from colorado to North Carolina tonight, more universities nationwide grappling with growing tensions over the war in gaza. As protests spread on College Campuses. As protests College Campuses. [ Crowd Chanting ] at Arizona StateUniversity Police showed up within minutes of a forming encampment. Stop the killing. Well stop the tents and megaphones. Reporter at Emory University this shows a Police Officer slamming a professor to the ground. She was charged with Disorderly Conduct and battery. Nbcs Erin Mclaughlin is at Columbia University where students have been camping out for ten days igniting a debate about free speech versus hate speech. Student protesters say the negotiations have stalled on the issue of divestment from israel and received no reassurances. It is our best interest to reach an agreement before commencement. Reporter meanwhile at the university of Southern California many seniors who didnt get a High School Graduation because of covid left devastated by the universitys abrupt decision to cancel their commencement. Just being an artist, i feel let down by the university. Reporter amir bell who supports the protesters tells us 15 of his Family Members were planning to fly in to celebrate his milestone moment, and now thats in limbo. I just dont understand how they could have World Leaders and stuff, but they cant properly secure a tradition theyve had for since the 1800s, so thats the most frustrating part. Reporter uscs campus is locked down, and students have to use i. D. S to get to class. We followed up with the university, but theyre not commenting. Liz, thank you. Now to our nbc news investigation into israeli air strikes in parts of gaza that the Israeli Defense forces had designated as safe. But as nbcs hala gorani reports, some resulted in civilian deaths. Reporter march 26th, 2024, 4 00 p. M. , the aftermath of an air strike in rafah in southern gaza, victims buried under the rubble. This woman is rushed to the hospital as her father attempts first aid. An nbc news investigation reveals that this is one of at least seven deadly strikes in areas our gaza team filmed after the idf had explicitly designated them as safe in december. This one identified as one of three Evacuation Zones in a leaflet dropped over gaza, and on the israeli militarys website, in a map last updated in december. When asked if there was anything more recent, the idf told us the map was, quote, still accurate. Our investigation revealed that the idf targeted al shaboura, Tal Al Sultan and al mawasi. The idf targeted these three places after it told residents to head there. On january 9th. An air strike in one of the places. It hits the home of the Nafal Family Killing 15. On february 12th, 2024, our crews filmed the aftermath of an air strike on al shaboura. They asked us to go to al shaboura because its a safe area. Look around what happened, this man says. On april 20th. At 10 00 p. M. In the same district, the building leveled. Among those killed, a pregnant woman who nbc news reported on earlier this week. Her premature baby briefly survived died days later. We asked the military multiple times to comment on the strikes documented in our report providing precise locations and dates. It addressed one of the attacks replying, the idf is not aware of any strike at the provided coordinates and times in the query blaming hamas for telling people to ignore military directives adding, the idf will act against hamas wherever it operates with full commitment to international law. Human rights watch program director, sari bashi, tells us, these strikes are not isolated incidents. They went to the places they were told to go to and get hit either by an air strike or ground invasion. Is there anywhere safe in gaza . There is nowhere safe in gaza. Reporter for the almost million and a half palestinians crowded in graziadei, there is nowhere left to flee, and for the girls whose fathers bloodstained tshirt told of his frantic attempt to revive his child, it was too late. Reema died in a place where she and others were told they would be safe from harm. Hala gorani, nbc news, tel aviv. There was some good news from Buckingham Palace today that king charles will return to his official duties next week, almost three months after his cancer diagnosis. The palace said doctors are pleased with the progress the king has made so far. In 60 seconds, the fiery derailment of a freight train. Weve got late details. And fragments of Bird Flu Virus are found in more of the milk supply increasing concerns about the transmission from cows to humans right after this. Breathing, symptom improvement, and reduced flareups. Breztri wont replace a Rescue Inhaler for sudden breathing problems. It is not for asthma. Tell your doctor if you have a Heart Condition or high Blood Pressure before taking it. Dont take breztri more than prescribed. Breztri may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. Call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling, problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. Ask your doctor about breztri. vo want to upgrade but still paying off your locked phone . Break free from 3year device contracts. Ye pain occur. Switch to tmobile, and well pay off your phone. And upgrade you to one of the latest 5g phones, free. Breathing claritin clear is like. Is he . Claritin clear . Yeah. Fast relief of your worst allergy symptoms, like nasal congestion. Live claritin clear® just just in tonight, images of a Train Derailment near the Arizona State line. It was Carrying Gasoline and propane. Interstate 40 is closed down in both directions. There are no reports of injuries. In new york, a Delta Air Lines plane was forced to return to jfk airport today after losing its emergency slide. Delta says the crew on the flight to los angeles declared an emergency when they heard a sound near the right wing after the plane landed safely. They saw the slide was gone. Its whereabouts are unclear. And a consumer alert about the nations milk supply after the fda found traces of bird flu in one in five samples it tested. Anne thompson with what you need to know. Reporter in this ohio state lab, this epidemiologist is testing milk from six states and finding traces of bird flu where he shouldnt. What does that tell you about the spread . I think it shows us that there are many more cows infected than weve given it credit for at this point. Reporter nearly 40 of the milk he tested was positive for h5n1, also known as bird flu. That may sound alarming, but additional testing, bowman says, shows the pasturization is working. If im a parent buying milk for my child, how worried should i be about the bird flu . Yeah, at this point i would not be worried about that at all. Im continuing to drink milk. Reporter so tonight, attention turns to the source. The nations dairy cows with so far just one known case of minor symptoms in a person related to direct contact with infected cattle. The u. S. Department of agriculture ordering all dairy cows Crossing State Lines be tested for the virus. Its been my whole livelihood. Reporter Martha Thomas owns the smallest dairy herd in shelby county, ohio, where she produces, processes, and sells milk. How do you ensure your cows are healthy . We dont let people in and out. We dont switch cows. Its a closed herd. Reporter there are no signs of bird flu here, but herds in nine states contracted the bird flu including one in ohio. The entire barnyard is on alert, and were looking to make sure it doesnt end up someplace else. Reporter while officials try to figure out whats going on on the farms, the fda says pasturization is doing its job, killing active viruses and bacteria to keep the milk supply safe. Lester. Okay, anne thompson, thanks. Coming up, they may be the future of the road, so why do Electric Vehicles lose so much of their value . Thats next. Breathing claritin clear is like. Is he . Claritin clear . Yeah. 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