>> TONIGHT, A TORNADO OUTBREAK ACROSS THE SOUTH KILLED AT LEAST SIX. THAT SAME STORM SYSTEM PUMMELING THE NORTHEAST RIGHT NOW. NEW VIDEO OF THE TWISTERS TOUCHING DOWN IN TENNESSEE TEARING THROUGH BACKYARDS, SETTING OFF EXPLOSIONS AS THEY TOOK DOWN POWER LINES, HOMES AND BUSINESSES LEVELED. RESCUE WORKERS SEARCHING THROUGH THE RUBBLE. THIS WOMAN SAYS SHE WAS PICKED UP BY THE TORNADO. >> I GOT HIT OVER MY HEAD WITH SOMETHING AND MY EYES WAS CLOSED AS I WAS SPINNING. I WAS JUST SO SCARED. >> NOW 52 MILLION ON ALERT FOR MORE SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE NORTHEAST. OVERSEAS, A NEW WARNING ABOUT THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS INSIDE GAZA AND THE POWERFUL HOLIDAY TRIBUTE FROM HOSTAGES RECENTLY RELEASED. WHAT THIS FATHER TOLD US NOW THAT HIS CHILDREN ARE HOME. >> FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S REVERSAL. WHY HE NOW SAYS HE WILL NOT TESTIFY AT HIS CIVIL TRIAL TOMORROW. GROWING PRESSURE ON HARVARD'S PRESIDENT TO RESIGN AFTER UPENN'S LEADER WAS FORCED OUT AFTER HER HANDLING OF ANTISEMITISM. >>> THIEVES BUST AS POLICE WARN OF A NEW GIFT CARD SCAM, HOW SCAMMERS STEAL MONEY OFF THE CARD BEFORE YOU BUY THEM. >> BOTH OF OUR $200 GIFT CARDS WERE JUST COMPLETELY DRAINED. >> WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AND THE HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR THAT ALMOST WASN'T. HOW THE WHOLE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO TURN THESE LIGHTS BACK ♪♪ ♪♪ >> THIS IS "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH KATIE SNOW. >>> GOOD EVENING, THE TRAIL OF DEVASTATION IN TWO COMMUNITIES CAME INTO SHARP FOCUS AFTER TORNADOES RIPPED THROUGH LAST NIGHT, A TODDLER AND HIS MOM ARE AMONG SIX PEOPLE KILLED THERE. DOZENS MORE WERE INJURED AND THERE WERE 28 PRELIMINARY TORNADO REPORTS SATURDAY ACROSS SIX STATES AND THIS WAS ONE TWISTER SETTING OFF AN EXPLOSION WHEN IT TORE THROUGH POWER LINES. >> OOH! THAT IS FIRE. OH, MY GOSH. >> FROM ABOVE, YOU CAN SEE HOUSE AFTER HOUSE DESTROYED. THAT SAME WEATHER SYSTEM TODAY MOVED INTO THE MID ATLANTIC AND NORTHEAST BRINGING MORE SUSPECTED TORNADOES, DRIVING RAIN, WIND AND THE THREAT OF FLOODING AND WE'LL GET TO ALL OF THAT IN A MOMENT, BUT WE BEGIN WITH MARISA PARRA IN HARD-HIT TENNESSEE. MARISA? >> KATE, WHERE SO MUCH REPORTING HAS BEEN DONE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF HOW SERIOUS THE DAMAGE WAS, AND I WANT TO SHOW YOU JUST ONE EXAMPLE BEHIND ME. THIS IS SOMEONE'S BEDROOM. YOU CAN SEE THEIR DRESSER, THEIR BED UNDERNEATH, RIPPED PIECES OF INSTALLATION, SHARDS OF WOOD ALL EXPOSED TO THE SKY AND KATE, THIS ISN'T THE ONLY ONE. >> SHROUDED IN DARKNESS, TORNADOES TWISTED THEIR WAY THROUGH TENNESSEE NEIGHBORHOODS. >> OH, MY GOD! OH! >> SPARKING VIOLENT EXPLOSIONS -- >> THAT'S A TORNADO. THOSE ARE POWER LINES. >> AND TAKING DOWN POWER LINES WITH THEM. >> OH, MY GOD. >> PHILIP DIXON TAKING THIS VIDEO AS THE TWISTER APPROACHED AND THE NIGHT SKY LIT UP. >> I COULD HEAR WIND TUNNEL AND SOMETHING LIKE THE TRAINS AND THEN A BIG EXPLOSION HAPPENED AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE I SAW THAT. >> THE TWISTER SPINNING UP AS A LINE OF SEVERE STORMS SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST SATURDAY NIGHT. EMERGENCY OFFICIALS SAY SIX PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND TWO OF THEM YOUNG. THIS TWISTER HIT CLARKSVILLE, TENNESSEE, AND AT THE LOCAL POST OFFICE WORKERS RUNNING FOR COVER AS AN APPARENT TORNADO SWEPT THROUGH THE PARKING LOT. >> CLOSE THE DOOR! >> I HOPE NO ONE WAS IN THOSE HOUSES. >> DAYLIGHT LAY BARE THE DESTRUCTION BY NIGHT THAT LEFT MORE THAN 60 PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL. THIS MAYOR GETTING EMOTIONAL SAYING THE RESPONSE HE SAW WAS NOTHING SHORT OF HEROIC. >> I'VE NEVER BEEN SO PROUD TO BE MAYOR AS RIGHT NOW. >> PEOPLE HERE BRINGING WITH THEM BOXES, BAGS AND STORIES OF SURVIVAL LIKE THIS WOMAN WHO WAS LIFTED INTO THE AIR. >> I WAS TRYING TO GO IN THE CLOSET WHEN I GOT THAT ALERT. I JUST REMEMBER OPENING THE CLOSET DOOR AND JUST TURNING AROUND. THE WIND JUST TOOK ME AND I JUST REMEMBER WAKING UP ON THIS SIDE OF MY HOUSE. >> IN MADISON, ANOTHER HARD-HIT TOWN JUST NORTH OF NASHVILLE, THE SIGN OF TRAGEDY. A 2-YEAR-OLD AND HIS MOTHER KILLED WHEN A NEIGHBORHOOD WAS THROWN ON TO THEIRS, LEAVING FELIPE DOMINGO LEAVING HIM WITHOUT HIS WIFE AND SON AND AS HE TELLS US IN SPANISH WITH BIG PAIN IN HIS HEART. DOWN THE STREET, MISTY SAW HER NEIGHBORS BURIED UNDER THE COLLAPSED ROOF. >> MY NEIGHBOR WAS IN THERE AND SHE WAS VERY UNDER THE WEATHER AND SHE WAS SCREAMING HELP, HELP. AS FIRST RESPONDERS CHECK RUBBLE FOR ANYONE STILL TRAPPED, HOMEOWNERS CHECKED THEIR HOUSES LOOKING FOR ANYTHING THEY CAN CARRY. >> AND WE HAVE TO REBUILD. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REBUILDING, ONE STEP AT A TIME. >> BACK NOW WITH MARISA, IT IS SO DEVASTATING. WE ARE GETTING LATE WORD FROM THE GOVERNOR? >> YEAH. GOVERNOR BILL LEE JUST TOURED HERE WITHIN THE HOUR TELLING US THAT LOOKING AT ALL OF THIS WAS HEARTBREAKING. YOU CAN SEE DOWNED POWER LINES STILL IN FRONT OF BOOM'S HOME AND THERE'S STILL 25,000 PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER ACROSS THE STATE AND IT WILL BE A LONG ROAD OF RECOVERY AHEAD. KATE? >> THANKS. >> ALL OF THAT WEATHER DOWN SOUTH PUSHING TO THE NORTHEAST. MORE THAN 52 MILLION PEOPLE ARE UNDER THE THREAT OF TORNADOES, DANGEROUS WIND, RAIN AND FLOODING. GEORGE SOLIS IS TRACKING THAT PART OF THE STORY FOR US. >>> WILD WEATHER BARRELING ALONG THE EAST COAST TONIGHT IS ALREADY WREAKING HAVOC. IN OTHER NO CAROLINA JUST OUTSIDE OF RALEIGH A SUSPECTED TORNADO BLOWING OUT POWER LINES AND DAMAGING HOMES AND THE SAME SYSTEM HAD 52 UNDER FLOOD ALERTS AND CITIES BRACING FOR INTENSE RAIN AND WINDS CAUSING BACKUPS AND TRAVEL DELAYS IN NEW YORK. >> STARTED IN A VERY UNSETTLED NOTE. AS MUCH AS SIX INCHES OF RAIN IN URBAN AREAS ALSO INCREASING THE RISK OF DANGEROUS AND FLASH FLOODING. >> I GOT A COUPLE OF AM BRELAS WITH US AND RAIN JACKETS AND GOT THE PROPER SHOES ON, AND RAIN OR SHINE, YOU WHAT I MEAN? THE STORM SYSTEM COULD DUMP AS MUCH AS TEN TO 15 INCHES OF SNOW ACROSS NORTHERN NEW YORK AND VERMONT. IN COLORADO, THE SNOW FROM THE SYSTEM CAUSING THE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FLIGHT PAST THE RUNWAY IT DID HAVE TO BE TOED LEADING TO MORE DELAYS AND PARTS OF NEW ENGLAND LEAVING TWO TO THREE INCHES OF ADDITIONAL RAINFALL. >> GEORGE IS WITH US. WHEN MIGHT WE SEE THE WORST PART OF THIS RAIN AND WIND? >> YEAH, KATE, THIS IS ALL FORECAST TO RAMP UP THIS EVENING AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT. HERE EMERGENCY TRAVEL OFFICIALS HAVE ISSUED TRAVEL ADVISORIES TODAY AND TOMORROW. KATE IN. >> OKAY, GEORGE, THANK YOU. IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IT'S NOT THE RAIN AND THE WILDFIRE AND THE WIND-DRIVEN FIRE IS BURNING IN VENTURA CONTE, NEARLY 3,000 ACRES HAVE SCORCHED HILLSIDES AND THREATENING HOMES. SOME RESIDENTS HAVE HAD TO EVACUATE AND IT'S A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR CREWS TRYING TO GET THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL. >> NOW TO THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR ABOUT THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS INSIDE GAZA. WE ARE HEARING FROM FORMER ISRAELI HOSTAGESO NEGOTIATE AS MORE AND MAKING SURE THEY PUSH AHEAD ON THE DIP THE MA DIPLOMATIC FRONT. >> A SURPRISE REVERSAL FROM FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. HE WILL NO LONGER TESTIFY IN PERSON AT HIS CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL IN NEW YORK TOMORROW. ALLIE RAFAH HAS THE DETAILS. >> TONIGHT AN 11th-HOUR REVERSAL. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCING ON HIS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT HE WILL NOT GO BACK ON THE WITNESS STAND MONDAY ON THE CIVIL FRAUGHT LAWSUIT THREATENING HIS EMPIRE. MR. TRUMP SAYING I HAVE TESTIFIED TO EVERYTHING AND HAVE NOTHING MORE TO SAY ADDING I WILL NOT BE TESTIFYING ON MONDAY. THE FORMER PRESIDENT WAS SLATED TO GIVE THE FINAL WORD IN HIS DEFENSE AS HIS LEGAL TEAM'S LAST WITNESS OF THE TEN-WEEK TRIAL THAT'S NEARING ITS END. >> STRATEGICALLY, THIS IS THE RIGHT CALL BY THE DEFENSE. IT MAY BE THAT THEY NEVER WANTED HIM TO COME BACK AND TESTIFY, BUT ONLY TODAY THEY WERE ABLE TO PREVAIL UPON THEIR CLIENT TO LISTEN TO HIS LAWYERS' ADVICE. >> IN A STATEMENT TONIGHT MR. TRUMP'S ATTORNEY SAYING, QUOTE, WAS THERE NO VALID REASON FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP TO TESTIFY FURTHER IN THIS CASE. >> I'M THE FIRST GUY WHO EVER GOT INDICTED WHOSE POLL NUMBERS GO UP. >> A NEW POLL SHOWS TRUMP BETTING HIM A HYPOTHETICAL MATCHUP AND THE POLLS OUT OF THE MARGIN OF ERROR. >> THE PRESIDENT FIRING A WARNING SHOT AT HIS SUCCESSOR IN MANHATTAN. >> I CAN ONLY SAY TO JOE, BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR. HE'S OPENED UP A PANDORA'S BOX THAT MAY NEVER LET OUR COUNTRY BE THE SAME. >> AND ALLIE JOINS US NOW. WITH TRUMP NOT TESTIFYING IN HIS CIVIL TRIAL TOMORROW IS THE TRIAL ALMOST OVER? >> WELL, KATE, IF THE PROSECUTION DOESN'T HAVE A REBUTTAL, THAT LIKELY MEANS THE END OF THE TRIAL WITH BOTH SIDES MAKING THEIR CLOSING PITCHES DIRECTLY TO THE JUDGE. KATE? >> ALLIE RAFAH FOR US. THANK YOU. >>> AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS INVITED VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY TO THE WHITE HOUSE. THE LEADERS ARE EXPECTED TO MEET TUESDAY AMID THE ONGOING CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE AMID FUNDING FOR RUSSIA. A DEMOCRATIC BILL WITH BILLIONS IN AID FROM UKRAINE FAILED TO CLEAR THE SENATE BECAUSE OF DISAGREEMENTS IN BOARD SECURITY OVER THE U.S. >> IVY LEAGUE FLASH PACK AND THE HARVARD'S PRESSURE TO RESIGN ABOUT ANTI-SEMITISM ON CAMPUS AND POLICE CRACKING >>> THERE'S NEW FALLOUT TONIGHT OVER THE CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ON ANTISEMITISM ON COLLEGE MEAN SITUATION. >> DANA GRIFFIN, NBC NEWS. >>> COMING UP, WE'VE GOT A WARNING ABOUT GIFT CARD SCAMS. A CARDIAC ARREST. TODAY DAD LeBRON WAS COURTSIDE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON HIS SON. >>> NOW TO A WARNING TO ANYONE BUYING GIFT CARDS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, THEY'RE SO CONVENIENT, BUT SCAMMERS HAVE FOUND A WAY TO STEAL THE VALUE OF THE CARD BEFORE YOU BUY IT AND WHEN THE RECIPIENT GOES TO USE IT THE BALANCE IS ZERO. MAGGIE VESPA MAKES SURE HOW IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO YOU. >> CALL THIS AN UNDERCOVER LOOK AT CAPTURING A MODERN-DAY GRINCH. >> NOPE. >> BODY CAMERAS ROLLING, DETECTIVES IN SACRAMENTO TACKLE A SUSPECTED SHOPLIFTER. ♪♪ ♪ >> NOPE. >> LATER, ALLEGEDLY FINDING THIS JAW-DROPPING LOOP. 5,000 STOLEN APPLE AND TARGET GIFT CARDS, PART OF AN ONGOING SCAM, THEY SAY TO TAMPER WITH RETAIL GIFT CARDS AND STEAL YOUR MONEY. A SCAM SO PERVASIVE IT'S GOT AUTHORITIES COAST TO COAST SOUNDING ALARMS. >> WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS THE INFO SO YOU DON'T FALL VICTIM TO THE SCAM AS WELL. >> AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, VICTIMS LEARNING THEIR GIFTS WERE USELESS. >> MY GIFT CARD WAS WIPED OUT AND IT WAS DECLINED. >> BOTH OF OUR $200 GIFT CARDS WERE JUST COMPLETELY, COMPLETELY DRAINED. >> THE SCAM IS COMPLICATED AND THIEVES DON'T HAVE TO STEAL THE GIFT CARDS OUT OF THE STORE AND THEY HAVE TO SNEAK THEM BACK IN AND ALL THE WHILE ZEROING IN ON THE BAR CODES THAT TIE THE CARD TO YOUR MONEY. >> A PERFECT EXAMPLE IN PENNSYLVANIA WHERE POLICE SAY SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS CAUGHT TWO MEN ENTERING A SUPERMARKET. THAT'S ONE OF THEM IN THE GREEN HAT AND THEN THERE IN THE TOP RIGHT YOU CAN SEE THEM PUTTING ALLEGEDLY 75 GIFT CARDS ON STORE SHELVES AND THE MEN FACING FELONY CHARGES STOLE THE GIFT CARDS AND COPIED THE KEY INFOE AND THE GOAL, FOR UNSUSPECTING CUSTOMERS ON THE CARD THAT THE FEES WILL SPEND. >> YOU NEVER KNOW KNOWING THAT IT'S BEEN TAMPERED WITH OR TRIED TO USE IT, SADLY. >> OR TRY TO USE IT, CORRECT. >> TIPS BEFORE FALLING VICTIM, IF IT LOOKS TAMPERED WITH, DON'T BUY IT. BUY CARDS ARE KEPT BEHIND THE COUNTER OR ONLINE. FINALLY, SAVE THOSE REPRESENTS SO IF THE CARD IS DRAINED YOU CAN MAKE THE CASE FOR GETTING YOUR MONEY BACK. >> A LOT OF FOLKS IN OUR NATION ARE HAVING A TOUGH TIME PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE AND PAYING THEIR BILLS. THESE PEOPLE SPOIL CHRISTMAS AND RUIN IT FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. >> MAGGIE VESPA, NBC NEWS. >>> WHEN WE COME BACK, THERE IS GOOD NEWS ♪♪ ♪♪ >>> THERE'S GOOD NEWS TONIGHT ABOUT FINDING LIGHT DURING DARK TIMES AND THE COMMUNITY WHO HELPED ONE FAMILY CONTINUE A BELOVED HOLIDAY TRADITION. >>> JUST OUTSIDE ATLANTA, GEORGIA. ♪ LET IT SNOW ♪ >> MERRY CHRISTMAS. HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING TONIGHT? >> THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS IS ONCE AGAIN BURNING BRIGHT AT THE HOME OF GWEN AND MIKE GATTI. THEIR GAZELLING DRIVE-THROUGH DISPLAY. >> IT WAS. >> BRINGING HOLIDAY JOY TO THIS COMMUNITY FOR 36 YEARS. >> WE ACTUALLY START THE FIRST WEEKEND OF AUGUST? WE TRY TO ADD SOMETHING EVERY YEAR. >> THIS SEASON'S BELOVED TRADITION -- ♪ LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW ♪ >> ALMOST DIDN'T HAPPEN. OVER THE SUMMER THE BARN WHERE THEY STORED THE MASSIVE CHRISTMAS DECORATION BURNED DOWN. DECADES OF MEMORIES GONE. >> I WONDER WHAT THE FEELINGS WERE AS YOU WERE WATCHING THE BARN BURN UP. >> IT WAS HARD. HE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO IT. >> BUT WITHIN DAYS, NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, EVEN TOTAL STRANGERS STARTED DONATING, LUMBER, LIGHTS AND HUNDREDS OF BOXES FILLED WITH NEW DECORATIONS. >> IT WAS A CONTINUOUS FLOW FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF OF ABOUT 50 PACKAGES A DAY. I THINK AMAZON THOUGHT WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? >> IT WAS AMAZING HOW THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN COMING TO OUR DISPLAY FOR 35 YEARS, THEY STEPPED UP AND THEY SAID WE WANT THIS DISPLAY TO CONTINUE. ♪♪ ♪♪ >> I'M SORRY. I GET EMOTIONAL WHEN I TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT IS SO HUMBLING. >> I HEAR THE EMOTION IN YOUR VOICE. >> AM SO BLESSED. >> HEATHER TRUNKY WHO HAS BEEN VISITING SINCE SHE WAS A KID STARTEDED A GIFT REGISTRY FOR THE GATTIS. >> I'M JUST HUMBLED TO BE A SMALL PART OF THE STORY HERE. >> NOW, THANKS TO THE KINDNESS OF THIS COMMUNITY, HALF A MILLION POINTS OF LIGHT AND LOVE ARE SHINING ONCE AGAIN. IT'S JUST AMAZING. YOU DON'T REALIZE HOW MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE THERE ARE IN THIS WORLD. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS SAYS ABOUT THE WORLD? >> I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MORE YEARS THE GOOD LORD IS GIVING ME ON THIS EARTH, BUT I WILL KEEP THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS GOING UNTIL I DIE. >> THE GATTIS SAY IT TAKES THEM UNTIL AT LEAST FEBRUARY TO PACK EVERYTHING UP EVERY YEAR AND THEY'LL KEEP DOING THIS AS LONG AS THEY CAN. THAT IS NBC "NIGHTLY NEWS" FOR THIS SUNDAY AND STAY HERE FOR THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES VERSUS THE DALLAS COWBOYS TONIGHT. I'M KATE SNOW, FOR ALL OF US HERE AT NBC NEWS,TA
