Nightly News full broadcast – Aug. 24

Introduction TO THIS OLYMPIC POWER COUPLE AND WHY THEY'RE EACH OTHER'S BIGGEST FANS. >> Announcer: THIS IS "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS" WITH JOSE DIAZ-BALART. >>> GOOD EVENING, AS WE COME ON THE AIR, WE ARE TRACKING EXTREME WEATHER THAT'S UNUSUAL AT BEST AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY AT WORST. THIS WAS THE SCENE IN THE GRAND CANYON WHERE MORE THAN 100 HIKERS WERE AIR LIFTED AFTER FLASH FLOODS LEFT THEM STRANDED FOR NEARLY TWO DAYS. BUT THERE'S STILL A MASSIVE SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR AN ARIZONA WOMAN SWEPT AWAY BY THOSE WATERS. MEANWHILE, IN THE PACIFIC, HAWAII IS BRACING FOR A TROPICAL STORM NAME HONEY, CHURNING TOWARD THE BIG ISLAND, AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, SOMETHING YOU DON'T OFTEN SEE IN CALIFORNIA IN THE SUMMER, YES, THAT'S FRESH SNOW ON THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS IN AUGUST. AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE Severe weather impacting millions coast to coast MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY FIRE. KICKING OFF A WEEKEND OF EXHAUSTING EXTREME WEATHER. DANA GRIFFIN, NBC NEWS. >>> DEVELOPING TONIGHT, NASA ANNOUNCING A NEW PLAN TO BRING HOME TWO ASTRONAUTS WHO HAVE NASA calls on SpaceX to return Starliner astronauts home in 2025 BEEN STUCK AT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SINCE JUNE. MARISSA PARRA HAS THE LATEST. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, A STUNNING ANNOUNCEMENT FROM NASA. >> NASA HAS DECIDED THAT BUTCH AND SUNI WILL RETURN WITH CREW 9 NEXT FEBRUARY. >> Reporter: NASA ASTRONAUTS, BUTCH WILMORE AND SUNI, THE FIRST WITH THE CREW, BUT THEY WERE ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE IN SPACE FOR A WEEK. NASA NOW SAYS THEY WILL RETURN FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION EIGHT MONTHS PAST SCHEDULE TON A SPACEX DRAGON CAPSULE, BOEING'S BIGGEST COMPETITOR. >> THIS HAS NOT BEEN AN EASY DECISION. >> Reporter: THE SPACECRAFT HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY HELIUM LEAKS AND THRUSTER ISSUES, NASA TESTING TO FIND OUT WHETHER STARLINER COULD FLY HOME WITH BUTCH AND SUNI ON BOARD, BUT THE RISK, ULTIMATELY TOO HIGH. >> WE HAVE HAD MISTAKES DONE IN THE PAST. WE LOST TWO SPACE SHUTTLES AS A RESULT OF THERE NOT BEING A CULTURE IN WHICH INFORMATION COULD COME FORWARD. >> Reporter: BOEING RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING THEY CONTINUE TO FOCUS FIRST AND FOREMOST ON THE SAFETY OF THE CREW AND SPACECRAFT. >> HERE WE ARE IN THE FRONT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. >> Reporter: NASA INSISTING BUTCH AND SUNI HAVE PLENTY OF SUPPLIES TO GET THEM THROUGH, AND CONFIDENT DESPITE THE SET BACK IN STARLINER'S FUTURE. SENATOR NELSON, HOW CERTAIN ARE YOU THAT BOEING WILL EVER LAUNCH STARLINER WITH A CREW ON BOARD AGAIN? >> 100%. >> MARISSA PARRA JOINS ME NOW. SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? >> Reporter: GOOD QUESTION, THAT SPACEX DRAGON CAPSULE WILL SAVE TWO SEATS WHEN IT LAUNCHES TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, BUT BEFORE THAT, THE STARLINER SPACESHIP WILL UNDOCK AND HEAD BACK TO EARTH WITH NO ONE ON BOARD. JOSE. >> MARISSA PARRA, THANK YOU. >>> AND NOW TO POLITICS, AND WITH DONALD TRUMP AND VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS NOW BOTH OFFICIALLY THEIR PARTY'S Final sprint to the 2024 presidential election NOMINEES, THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT ENTERS ITS FINAL PHASE. AARON GILCHRIST HAS THE LATEST ON THE SPRINT TO ELECTION DAY. >> Reporter: THE NOMINEES FOR PRESIDENT BEGIN THE FINAL SPRINT TO ELECTION, THE TIME LINE SHRINKING WITH EARLY VOTING STARTING NEXT MONTH IN AT LEAST SIX STATES, INCLUDING THE CRUCIAL BATTLEGROUND OF PENNSYLVANIA. THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCING PLANS TO TAKE A BUS TOUR THROUGH THE BATTLEGROUND STATE OF GEORGIA NEXT WEEK, TARGETING BLACK, WORKING CLASS, RURAL AND SUBURBAN VOTERS. BOTH CAMPAIGNS ALREADY LOOKING BEYOND THE ELECTION TO JANUARY. SETTING UP PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAMS AS REQUIRED BY LAW. NBC NEWS HAS LEARNED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SET TO OFFER THEM OFFICE SPACE AND RESOURCES TO START TRANSITION PLANNING ON TUESDAY. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP. >> Reporter: MEANWHILE, PRESIDENT TRUMP RALLYING IN ARIZONA. ♪♪ APPEARING WITH ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. JUST HOURS AFTER HE SUSPENDED HIS INDEPENDENT RUN FOR PRESIDENT. >> HE HAS A LOT OF VOTES THAT HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN. I THINK HE'S GOING TO HAVE A HUGE INFLUENCE. WE'RE LEADING NOW, BUT I THINK HE'S GOING TO HAVE A HUGE INFLUENCE ON THIS CAMPAIGN. >> Reporter: KENNEDY'S EXIT FROM THE RACE, A POTENTIAL GAME CHANGER THIS ELECTION WITH THOUSANDS OF HIS SUPPORTERS NOW LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO GO. >> WHAT'S THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN? >> YEAH, WE ARE JUST LOOKING AT A SLIVER OF THE ELECTORATE, 4 TO 5% WHO WERE BACKING RFK JR. IN THE POLLS. JUST A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE COULD MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. >> Reporter: IN A RACE WITH ONLY TEN WEEKS TO GO, EVERY DAY AND EVERY VOTE MATTERS. ♪♪ >> AARON GILCHRIST JOINS US. AARON, THE VICE PRESIDENT IS STILL CALLING HERSELF THE UNDERDOG, WHAT ELSE IS THE CAMPAIGN DOING TO CHANGE THAT? >> Reporter: BEYOND THE GEORGIA TOUR, HARRIS AND HER RUNNING MATE GOVERNOR WALZ ARE EXPECTED TO DO HAIR FIRST JOINT INTERVIEW NEXT WEEK. THEY'RE ALSO PLANNING MAJOR FUND RAISE ERZ AND SWING STATE BARN STORMING AROUND LABOR DAY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW TO AN NBC NEWS EXCLUSIVE, TEN STATES WILL HAVE ABORTION BALLOT MEASURES ON ELECTION DAY, AND TODAY FOUR WOMEN IMPACTED BY Abortion rights battle grows in Texas OWE IT TO YOU TO MAKE THAT CHANGE. >> Reporter: PRISCILLA THOMPSON, NBC NEWS, DALLAS. >> AND YOU CAN WATCH KRISTEN WELKER'S FULL INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR J.D. VANCE ON "MEET THE PRESS" TOMORROW RIGHT HERE ON NBC. >>> GERMAN OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE ARRESTED A SUSPECT IN A DEADLY KNIFE ATTACK THAT KILLED THREE PEOPLE AND INJURED EIGHT MORE. IT HAPPENED AT A FESTIVAL IN WESTERN GERMANY. OFFICIALS ARE CALLING THE ATTACK AN ACT OF TERROR. ISIS HAS CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY. >>> AND TO UKRAINE NOW, WHERE THE COUNTRY'S MARKING ITS INDEPENDENCE DAY TODAY WITH A PRISONER EXCHANGE WITH RUSSIA. Ukraine’s fight for survival on Independence Day BUT AS ERIN McLAUGHLIN REPORTS, THE COUNTRY IS STILL FIGHTING FOR ITS SURVIVAL. >> Reporter: TONIGHT ON UKRAINE'S INDEPENDENCE DAY, A NATION MOURNING LIVES LOST AND VOWING REVENGE. AS UKRAINIANS LOSE GROUND IN THE COUNTRY'S EAST FORCING CIVILIANS TO FLEE. EARLIER TODAY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY RELEASED THIS VIDEO MESSAGE, IT SHOWS HIM STANDING JUST MILES AWAY FROM THE RUSSIAN BORDER. BREACHED EARLIER THIS MONTH BY UKRAINIAN FORCES. UKRAINIANS ALWAYS PAY BACK THEIR DEBTS, HE SAYS, AND WHOEVER WISHED MISERY UPON OUR LAND SHALL FIND IT IN THEIR OWN HOME, WITH INTEREST. TODAY IN KYIV, ZELENSKYY ANNOUNCED A NEW UKRAINIAN BATTLEFIELD DRONE, HOURS AFTER HIS PHONE CALL WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN WHO PLEDGED AN ADDITIONAL $125 MILLION DEFENSE PACKAGE. BUT STILL, NO GREEN LIGHT TO USE LONG RANGE WEAPONS ON RUSSIAN TERRITORY. FOUNDED A BATTALION FAMOUS FOR FIGHTING RUSSIA'S WAGNER FORCES. HE ARGUES IT'S ESSENTIAL THE WAR REACHES RUSSIAN SOIL. >> OUR PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING, AND THEY ARE SUFFERING TOGETHER WITH US. >> Reporter: DO YOU THINK RUSSIANS UNDERSTAND THAT? >> I THINK THAT WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE SOMETHING, YOU FOR SURE UNDERSTAND. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, WHILE THERE'S DEFIANCE, THERE'S ALSO THE PAINFUL REMINDER. IN UKRAINE, FREEDOM COMES AT A HIGH PRICE. ERIN McLAUGHLIN, NBC NEWS, KHARKIV, UKRAINE. >>> STILL AHEAD TONIGHT, THE URGENT PUSH TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY LIK >>> WE'RE BACK WITH A BIG PROBLEM IN SPACE. New robot will clean up dangerous ‘space junk’ IT'S THE GROWING DANGER OF SPACE JUNK CRASHING DOWN TO EARTH. JOSH LEDERMAN HAS A CLOSER LOOK. >> Reporter: SPACE, VAST, INFINITE, BUT NOT AS EMPTY AS YOU MIGHT THINK. THE EARTH'S ORBIT NOW FLOODED WITH MANMADE TRASH, THREATENING SPACE MISSIONS, CRITICAL SATELLITES AND EVEN LIFE ON EARTH. ONE SOLUTION, FUTURISTIC ROBOTS DESIGNED TO GO INTO SPACE AND TAKE OUT THE TRASH. WE GOT A RARE LOOK IN SWITZERLAND, AT THE MISSION, CALLED CLEAR SPACE ONE. ENGINEERS ARE TRAINING THE ROBOT'S CAMERA TO SEE THE DEBRIS IT'S SUPPOSED TO CATCH, EVEN WHEN IT'S IN SHADOW. ONE OF THE HARDEST PARTS OF THE MISSION IS LINING UP THE ROBOT PRECISELY WITH DEBRIS THAT IS FLYING THROUGH SPACE AT MORE THAN 4 MILES PER SECOND. THE NEXT CHALLENGE, BUILDING GIANT ROBOT CLAWS TO TRAP THE CRASH. I'M PUTTING ON A SPECIAL CLEAN SUIT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T CONTAMINATE THE CLEAN ROOM BEHIND ME. THIS BACK CONTRAPTION REPRESENTS A SATELLITE OR SPACE JUNK, FOUR MASSIVE ARMS LIKE THIS WHITE ONE WILL FORM THE CLAW, CLOSING AROUND IT IN OUTER SPACE. HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED THAT CLAW GAME WHERE YOU HAVE TO GRAB THE STUFFED ANIMAL, IMAGINE THAT, BUT DOING IT IN OUTER SPACE. THE ROBOT DESIGNED TO DRAG THE TRASH TOWARD EARTH WHERE SMALLER OBJECTS WILL BURN IN THE ATMOSPHERE, LARGER ONES DROPPED SAFELY IN THE OCEAN. IS IT BETTER TO HAVE THIS TRASH FALL INTO THE OCEAN THAN IT IS TO STAY IN OUR SPACE? >> YES, IT IS BETTER BECAUSE THOSE OBJECTS IN OUTER SPACE ARE ESSENTIALLY PROJECTILES THAT ORBIT AT 28,000 KILOMETERS PER HOUR. THEY GO MULTIPLE TIMES THE SPEED OF A BULLET. >> Reporter: A GLOBAL RACE FOR SOLUTIONS IS ON. ONE DESIGN USES A NET, ANOTHER A HARPOON. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OLD SATELLITES DRIFTING THROUGH SPACE, AND MORE THAN A MILLION SMALLER OBJECTS THREATENING SATELLITES AND EVEN SPACECRAFT WHICH COULD HAVE CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES, LIKE IN THE 2013 MOVIE, "GRAVITY." THIS YEAR, A PIECE OF AMERICAN SPACE DEBRIS SMASHED INTO A FLORIDA HOME. LOCAL TV STATION WANK SPOKE TO THE SHOCKED HOMEOWNER. >> I WAS SHAKEN. I WAS COMPLETELY IN DISBELIEF. >> Reporter: AT THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY'S OPERATION CENTER IN GERMANY, TECHNICIANS WORK 24/7 TRACKING SPACE DEBRIS THAT COULD THREATEN EARTH. >> WE THINK WE HAVE TO ACT. HOWEVER IF WE DON'T DO IT, WE USE IT IMPOSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE TO USE SPA Good News Tonight: ‘We’re a family’: LA first responders escort children of late colleague to first days of school >>> THERE'S GOOD NEWS TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, SO OFTEN THE GOOD NEWS DOESN'T GET AS MUCH ATTENTION AS THE BAD, SO EVERY SATURDAY, WE HIGHLIGHT THE MANY PEOPLE WHO SPREAD JOY AND LOVE. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THOSE STORIES THIS WEEK. >> THERE HE IS. >> NO, THERE HE IS. >> THIS IS THE MOMENT JIM AND LISA OATES MET THEIR HERO, ICU NURSE, NICK JOHNSON. THE COUPLE WAS ALONE RIDING BIKES ON A COLORADO TRAIL WHEN JIM WENT INTO CARDIAC ARREST. >> IT'S FINALLY NICE TO MEET YOU. >> BY LUCK, NICK WAS ALSO ON THE TRAIL, AND JUMPED INTO ACTION, DOING CPR THAT HELPED SAVE JIM'S LIFE. FOR THE GRANDPARENTS OF FIVE, NICK'S LIFE SAVING AID HAS GIVEN ANN AND JIM A PRECIOUS FUTURE WITH FAMILY. >> YOUR EFFORTS HAVE LED TO ME BEING IN A SITUATION WHERE I CAN ENJOY THE FAMILY. I CAN ENJOY MY EXPERIENCES. THANK YOU, NICK. >> I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY, I JUST WANT TO KEEP SAYING THANK YOU. >> AND HERE'S A DAD GOING THE DISTANCE. >> GREAT TO SEE YOU. >> MARK LEE TRAVELED ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO SURPRISE HIS L.A. CHARGER SON SHANE AT PRACTICE. MARK, BOUNCING BACK FROM A MASSIVE HEART ATTACK HE HAD EARLIER THIS YEAR, SHOWING SHANE AND THE WHOLE TEAM WHAT GRIT LOOKS LIKE. >> SO WHAT I SAY TO YOU GUYS IS NEVER QUIT. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. ANYTHING. >> A CELEBRATION IN THE SKY. THAT'S UNITED EXPRESS FLIGHT FIRST OFFICER ZILENE, SURPRISING HER DAD. >> SHE TRICKED ME. SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS GOING TO NEW MEXICO. >> A HARD WORKING IMMIGRANT WHO SACRIFICED SO MUCH FOR THE FAMILY. >> DADDY, I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE FOR YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT THROUGHOUT MY FLIGHT CAREER. YOUR BELIEF IN ME HAS BEEN THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS. >>> AND HERE IN LOS ANGELES, WE'RE SO MOVED TO SEE THESE FIRST RESPONDERS SHOWING UP TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY OF A BELOVED COLLEAGUE. SOME 75 MEMBERS FROM THE L.A. COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BRINGING THE TWO CHILDREN OF DEPUTY GONZALO GALVEZ TO THEIR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. GONZO AS THEY CALLED HIM DIED OF CANCER EARLIER THIS MONTH. FOR THESE GUYS, IT WAS A CHANCE TO LET GONZO'S LITTLE ONES KNOW THEY WILL NEVER BE ALONE. >> WHAT DID GONZO MEAN TO YOU? >> HE WAS A GREAT MENTOR. WE OBVIOUSLY CAN'T REPLACE HIM AS DAD, BUT WE CAN OFFER THE SUPPORT THEY NEED THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. >> WHAT'S THE BIGGER MESSAGE HERE? >> WE'RE A FAMILY. WE'RE ALL GOING TO BACK EACH OTHER UP. EVEN WHEN YOU'RE GONE, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE THERE FOR YOUR FAMILY. >>> THAT'S "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS" FOR THIS SATURDAY, I'M JOSE DIAZ-BALART. THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF YOUR TIME. AND GOOD NIGHT.