announcer: this is nbc nightly news with lester holt good evening, and welcome. after a dangerous confrontation in the skies, a warning tonight from russia to the u.s. not to fly aircraft near its airspace throwing the onus on the united states for that midair collision between a russian and american plane over the black sea yesterday. the u.s. making clear its pilotless surveillance plane was flying legally in international airspace when it was knocked from the sky by a russian fighter jet that had been flying close and aggressively the act raising alarms in the pentagon. secretary of defense lloyd austin confirming he spoke by telephone today with the russian defense minister, though not revealing the nature of their conversation. the u.s., however, accuses the russians of reckless and unprofessional behavior, and we have new reporting tonight on just how high up the orders came from in russia. peter alexander is at the white house with more reporter: tonight, for t
going to do now? we may get some early answers when the white house briefing starts just a few minutes from now. and we have some brand-new information about the two americans who survived. plus, one republican lawmaker calling bs on tucker carlson s narrative that january 6th was a peaceful protest. another republican calling it flat out a lie. the capitol police are going further, insisting it invites the prospect of more antigovernment violence. and president biden s big pitch for 2024 that he s the only one who can save medicare. how it fits with his larger message to voters and contrasts with maga republicans he says are intent on making things worse. but, we begin with that breaking news. two of the four americans kidnapped in mexico just a few days ago have been murdered. two others are alive and we just learned minutes ago that they are now back across the border to the u.s. one of them, though, injured. a state department briefing is scheduled next hour with ke
forces are close to encircling bakhmut. the u.s. is downplaying the strategic significance if russia wins this round of the war. also tonight, republicans are presented with the sharpest contrast yet between donald trump and ron desantis. we re breaking down dueling speeches by the former president and the current florida governor as they gear up for a potential 2024 primary showdown. and a series of new airline scares is raising serious questions about aviation safety here in the united states. from a bird strike that caused engine failure and smoke in the cabin to the wings of two commercial jets clipping on the many close cal? welcome to our viewers here in the united states and around the world. i m wolf blitzer. you re in the situation room. we begin on the front lines of eastern ukraine right now, where the battle for bakhmut is growing more urgent by the hour. russian fighters making gains as they move to surround the city. cnn s alex marquardt is joining us live
battlefield. now after a year of war, their powerful tributes announcer: this is nbc nightly news with lester holt good evening, and thank you for joining us tonight alex murdaugh s sometimes failing memory, glaring contradictions and courtroom admission that he had lied to police were all fertile ground for prosecutors today as the accused double murderer spent another day testifying in his own defense. at moments displaying flashes of anger murdaugh on trial for the murders of his wife and 22-year-old son facing more cross-examination today. the prosecution digging into the heart of its case against him. the time line of his actions around the time of the murders. confronting the former attorney with cell phone records, his own words from his initial interview with police, even the number of steps recorded by his smartphone leaving murdaugh at times struggling to provide full explanations. catie beck is covering the trial for us in walterboro, south carolina. when
good monday morning to you. i m jim sciutto. hi jim. great to be with you. i m jessica dean and happening right now. massive protests in israel, a crippling general strike and several mayors launching a hunger strike after prime minister benjamin netanyahu fired his defense minister for opposing his plans to overhaul the judicial system . this as many israelis fear the united states closest ally in the region is moving further away from democratic principles. ahead we will have the very latest from jerusalem remarkable events there in israel plus today and though the round of were severe weather expected to strike the southeast of this country, parts of alabama and georgia, bracing for large, hail , damaging winds this after just devastating tornadoes ripped through the region this weekend . at least 26 people are dead, several others injured. we re going to take you live to see scenes of that damage. we do begin this hour, though. with those protests the ongoing general stri