tonight, the fiery day in court the fulton county district attorney testifying at a hearing that could derail the georgia election interference case against donald trump. the surprise moment when fani willis walked into the courtroom and volunteered to testify. on the stand, willis accusing the defense of lying about her romantic relationship with a prosecutor in the case a former friend testifying that willis' relationship began years before she acknowledged then willis accusing her of betraying their friendship our team at the courthouse also, mr. trump back in court in new york when the judge has ordered his hush money trial to begin the fbi informant charged with lying about president biden and his son hunter could it impact the

gop's impeachment push new reporting in the deadly shooting at the kansas city chiefs parade the dispute police say led to it. two juveniles in custody. the radio dj killed. more than 20 others injured. israeli forces raiding the main hospital in southern gaza, saying hamas used it as cover inside smoke and chaos. and the doctor we've been following finally getting out. the college basketball star caitlin clark. harry smith tonight on her shot at history. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt good evening and welcome, everyone. the tables were turned in an atlanta courtroom today. the fulton county district attorney and the special prosecutor in the georgia election interference case against donald trump compelled to answer questions on the witness stand about the nature of their relationship professionally, sexually, and financially. d.a. fani willis and the outside prosecutor she hired for the election case, nathan

wade, have previously acknowledged they dated. but today, the timing of that relationship was thrown into question by the testimony of a former employee of the d.a.'s office during testimony today, willis at times exhibiting flashes of irritation at one point, telling an opposing lawyer, "you think i'm on trial. these people are on trial for trying to steal an election. defendants in the case calling the pair's relationship a conflict of interest, and asking the court to disqualify willis and wade from the case our blayne alexander is covering it all for us tonight from atlanta. >> reporter: she the high profile face of the prosecution against former president trump in the georgia election interference case. >> fani, f-a-n-i, last name is willis. >> reporter: but late today, fulton county district attorney fani willis herself took the witness stand. >> and i've been very anxious to have this conversation with you today.

i ran to the courtroom. >> reporter: in an often contentious back and forth -- >> it is a lie it is a lie. >> reporter: willis was pressed about details of her personal relationship with nathan wade, who she hired as special prosecutor on the trump case >> you and mr. wade met in october 2019 at a conference >> that is correct i think in one of your motions you tried to implicate i slept with him at that conference, which i find to be extremely offensive. >> reporter: willis' testimony was a shocking twist in a fiery evidentiary hearing that focused on allegations that willis financially benefitted from her personal relationship with wade in the form of romantic getaways allegations first made by trump co-defendant michael roman and his attorney ashley merchant in an effort to get willis removed as prosecutor. a move that would throw the entire georgia case against mr. trump into question. >> you think i'm on trial. these people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020 i'm not on trial, no matter how hard you try to put me on trial. >> reporter: at issue, who paid for vacations

the two took together. wade and willis both testified they split costs evenly, or she reimbursed him >> you never wrote him a check? >> ma'am, i don't have checks. >> reporter: when pressed for evidence, willis said she used cash >> for many, many years, i have kept money in my house. i don't need anything from a man a man is not a plan. a man is a companion and so, there was tension always in our relationship, which is why i would give him his money back i don't need anybody to foot my bills >> reporter: both wade and willis have acknowledged a personal relationship. the question, when it began, before or after she hired him on the trump case in november of 2021? today, a long-time friend of willis and former employee testified that relationship started well before then >> you have no doubt that their romantic relationship was in effect from 2019 until the last time you spoke with her >> no doubt. >> reporter: and later, when pressed by

trump attorney steve sadow -- >> did you observe them do things that are common among people having a romantic relationship? >> yes. >> such as can you give us an example? >> hugging, kissing, affection. >> all before november 1st of 2021, correct >> yes >> reporter: but willis took exception. >> i certainly do not consider her a friend now. i think that she, you know -- there's a saying, no good deed goes unpunished. and i think she betrayed our friendship. >> reporter: willis says she and wade began dating in early 2022, after she hired him. it's the same timeline he swore to in an affidavit and testified to today >> let's be clear. 2022 was the start of any intimate sexual relationship with the district attorney. >> and blayne is

outside the courthouse in atlanta blayne, when do we expect a ruling on if willis will be removed from the election interference case? >> reporter: well, lester, we do not expect it to come this week this hearing is set to go into tomorrow, and possibly early next week now, we do know the judge is not going to rule from the bench. instead, he is going to go back, consider the evidence, and issue a written ruling in the days to come. lester >> blayne alexander, thank you. correspondent laura jarrett joins me now what is the legal standard for a conflict of interest here >> lester, the real question is whether she financially benefitted from this relationship it's unclear if the judge thinks she actually did but if he in fact disqualifies her from this case, lester, then her entire office is removed from the case and it doesn't mean it goes away completely another prosecutor could take it up, but could dramatically reshape the charges against the former president. >> a lot of parts moving tonight with regard to donald trump and cases, including the case in new york, the hush money case. he was in court trying to get that thrown out

today. >> yes and the judge in that case did not go for it jury selection will start next month in that case in what will be the first ever prosecution of a former president the case that first made donald trump a criminal defendant now the first to go to trial. a judge in manhattan today rejecting mr. trump's bid to toss the case out, saying the trial will begin on march 25th. sitting in court today by choice, the republican front-runner will soon be required to show up the judge saying he expects the trial to last six weeks, a distraction mr. trump argues is aimed at trying to derail his presidential campaign. >> it's a very unfair situation. they want to keep me nice and busy so i can't campaign so hard. >> reporter: the judge today unpersuaded, but mr. trump's defense team arguing they cannot adequately prepare for the trial in new york with all

his other criminal cases still on the horizon, including a florida trial over classified documents in may, and his election interference case in washington, still unscheduled. the crux of the case in manhattan accusations of hush money paid to a porn star ahead of the 2016 election falsely documented, prosecutors say, as a legal expense on the books of the trump organization to hide it >> we allege falsification of business records to the end of keeping information away are the electorate >> reporter: laura jarrett, nbc news, new york a former fbi informant has been charged with lying about ties between president biden, his son hunter, and a ukrainian energy company. the source allegedly falsely claimed that officials at burisma said they hired hunter because his father would protect them, and that the bidens were paid $5 million each the burisma allegations are a key part of a house republican push to impeach biden. today, the house gop said the house inquiry is not reliant on that source's information we'll turn now to the deadly shooting at

the end of the kansas city chiefs victory parade officials sa it was preceded by a dispute, and that there are two juveniles in custody we get more from maggie vespa >> reporter: tonight, investigators say the shooting that turned a day of celebration into one of mourning in kansas city appears to have started with a fight. >> this appeared to be a dispute between several people that ended in gunfire >> reporter: police say two teenagers are in custody no charges have been filed. >> we want to make sure that anyone that was responsible for yesterday is brought to justice >> reporter: according to police, 23 people were shot. at least half the victims are younger than 16. the youngest just 8 years old. 43-year-old radio dj lisa lopez-galvan was killed >> she always put others before herself. very giving individual. >> it's a big loss >> reporter: do you feel like it's hit you? >> it comes and goes

it comes and goes. >> reporter: lopez-galvan was a huge kansas city sports fan, there yesterday with her 22-year-old son mark, who along with her two nieces was also shot, but survived >> she's just not a statistic. lisa was a lot more than just a number she was a very wholesome, a very loving individual. >> reporter: downtown kansas city was brimming with chiefs fans during wednesday's super bowl celebration. this video obtained by tmz sports showing the moments gunfire rang out just a festivities were ending >> kansas city, missouri there is gunshots. >> reporter: this desperate 911 call made by a mom and daughter hiding under a car. >> oh, my god, oh, my god. >> reporter: bystanders tried to save this person's life, and help injured children another bystander says he helped tackle a person with a gun. police have not yet confirmed whether that person was involved in the shooting >> as i took him down, i seen the weapon, the gun, fall to the ground >> reporter: with kansas city schools closed, the crowd was packed with children jacob gooch and emily

tavis went to the parade with their kids they say they were just 15 feet from one shooter. >> he was shooting, it was kind of like he did like a circle, kind of. it wasn't just like he shot directly at somebody >> reporter: trying to hit everybody. >> yeah. >> reporter: gooch was shot in the ankle. >> going like this >> reporter: you fell? >> yeah. >> reporter: because you'd been shot in the ankle. >> right. >> reporter: tavis was shot in the leg. her 13-year-old son jacob jr. was hit in the foot >> i just can't imagine, you know, my kids getting hurt and me being dead would be - i just can't think about that, you know >> reporter: as for the injured, one hospital says they still have two patients in the icu. another saying today three children remain hospitalized but they will survive. lester >> maggie vespa with our update tonight, thank you. in the middle east, israeli special forces raiding the main hospital in southern gaza, saying hamas used it for cover. and it comes as the families of hostages are outraged after

israel left ceasefire talks. raf sanchez is in tel aviv with more >> reporter: tonight, smoke and chaos filling the hallways of nasser hospital, the largest medical facility still functioning in gaza, as israeli troops mounted a raid in search of hamas operatives israeli special forces storming inside in the early hours of the morning. terrified staff navigating the wards by the light of cell phones, trying to get patients to safety in this section, part of the ceiling lapsed from what witnesses say was a direct israeli strike >> we are being attacked by israeli army at the hospital >> reporter: this is dr. muhammad harare, who works in the emergency room our camera crew in gaza has followed him for weeks, as night after night, he's treated a flood of the wounded.

he stayed at the hospital, even as israel ordered displaced people to evacuate this morning, he finally left but hours later, we got in touch with him again. he was back at work in another overwhelmed er, this time in the city of rafah. >> we operate against hamas terrorists wherever they are hiding >> reporter: last month, a former hostage told the associated press that hamas held her and over two dozen hostages inside nasser hospital israel says hostages' bodies may still be there. while in tel aviv, fury over prime minister benjamin netanyahu's decision to pull out of hostage talks in cairo netanyahu called hamas' demands delusional these families are blocking traffic in front of israel's defense ministry they're demanding the government make a deal to bring the hostages home now >> reporter: gil's cousin is among the 134 hostages >> they must be part of the negotiations. we have no time. we must have them back right now. >> reporter: and

president biden spoke to israel's prime minister for 40 minutes tonight, their first conversation since israel backed out of hostage negotiations. lester >> raf sanchez, thank you. in 60 seconds, a warning about a russian nuclear threat in space nbc news learning what it's capable of doing.

we're getting new details on that potential russian threat to the u.s. that members of congress have raised alarms about u.s. officials tell nbc news it's a russian nuclear-powered space asset. peter alexander is at the white house. >> reporter: tonight, the white house confirmed that it's monitoring russia's development of what it called a troubling anti-satellite capability, but cautioned it is not a threat to americans. >> we are not talking about a weapon that can be used to attack human beings or cause physical destruction here on earth. >> reporter: and tonight, nbc news has learned new details about that capability, that it's a russian nuclear-powered space asset that could be weaponized, according to a u.s. official, and the congressional official familiar with the intelligence it is not a nuclear

bomb that russia is trying to send up in space. >> it is not an active capability, and it has not yet been deployed. >> reporter: experts said a nuclear fueled satellite may be able to carry a high-powered jammer that could knock out signals. today's revelation came hours after republican mike turner issued a cryptic warning demanding the white house declassify intelligence about the unspecified threat and today, the white house met with house leaders about it >> i've got great faith in what the administration is currently doing to try to address this matter >> reporter: in 2022, nbc news's cameras were the first ever allowed inside the u.s. space command in colorado general steven whiting speaking to nbc's tom costello >> we don't want there to be a war in space but if others choose to start a war there,

we'll be ready. >> reporter: all of it as russian president vladimir putin is raising eyebrows, weighing in on the 2024 election, saying he would prefer president biden over republican front-runner donald trump. saying biden is more experienced, more predictable. he is an old-school politician mr. trump calling that a compliment >> the only president in the last five that hasn't given russia anything is the president known as donald j. trump. >> reporter: and this rebuke from the white house. >> mr. putin should just stay out of our elections. >> and peter, you also have new reporting about a secret cyber attack the u.s. recently conducted against an iranian ship >> reporter: lester, that ship had been collecting intelligence on cargo vessels in and around the red sea and then sharing it with iranian-backed houthi rebels, who would then attack those ships that's according to three u.s. officials the u.s. operation more than a week ago was intended to prevent further houthi attacks. lester >> all right peter alexander at the white house, thanks. we are back in a new moment with a money-saving trend making a splash on social media and off-label brands in the spotlight.

we're back with the price you pay and a big shift in the way people are shopping, many increasingly giving less expensive store brands a spin to make every penny count. and it's all playing out on social media. christine romans reports. >> reporter: inflation-weary shoppers are chasing cheap and bragging about it >> i'm just not paying tyson prices if i don't have to. >> the waffles are a dollar cheaper than eggo's >> reporter: they're being called dupes, less expensive alternatives or private labels

and the social media generation loves them. >> elf is in their dupe era >> let's compare a $5 stanley cup dupe to the real thing >> reporter: it's kind of flipping the script on our parents' generation, keeping up with the joneses this is buying an inexpensive thing to keep up with being cool >> exactly it's an interesting flip of the script the inflation levels we've been dealing with the last few years, it's a clear response to that kind of economic pressure. >> reporter: after years of higher prices and shrinking packaging, consumers now have the upper hand, and retailers know it. target this week expanding its store brand of items that sell for less than name brands to more than 2,000 items chinese super discount retailer temu running three super bowl ads to reach consumers who are just sick of high prices companies acknowledging their customers' weariness coke and mcdonald's reporting sales fell after they raised prices so did kraft/heinz >> the consumer started looking for

better value in all the choices they're making. >> reporter: newly frugal consumers may slow price hikes, but economists say, don't expect prices to go back down to prepandemic levels, as deflation would be an economic headache of a different kind christine romans, nbc news, new york when we come back, college basketball superstar caitlin clark and the history she is making on the hardwood

finally, on a

basketball court in iowa, the hawkeyes are taking on the michigan wolverines but the even bigger matchup may be iowa phenom caitlin clark versus the all-time ncaa scoring record. harry smith is with fans at the sold-out game. >> reporter: caitlin clark can shoot. oh my goodness, can she shoot. >> clark for three >> reporter: she leads the country in scoring, 32 points a game and caitlin clark can pass she leads the country in assists, too. >> is there anything she can't do >> reporter: and what did she do tonight she set a new women's ncaa scoring record. >> i hope they don't stop the game, though. we can't be wasting time-outs on that, come on now. >> reporter: she has more than a few fans on iowa's campus are you guys psyched about tonight? >> oh, yes >> we're so excited.

>> reporter: clark's stunning performances, along with her singular swagger, has fans packing arenas from coast-to-coast, especially young girls who proudly emulate their idol jersey got it hair same can you even get a ticket to see her play >> no. the tickets are crazy. >> reporter: tickets for tonight's game on the secondary market have soared into the thousands of dollars >> everybody knows who she is i mean, every girl knows who she is, every boy. it doesn't matter. >> reporter: and clark herself is profiting from her prowess >> shoot. >> okay, i'll shoot. >> reporter: yet many feel the true points record belongs to lynette woodard, who scored 3,649 points as a four-time all-american at the university of kansas in the 1970s, before the ncaa included womens sports, and before the three-point basket though that record, too, seems well within reach for clark. >> clark, for the win! >> reporter: basket. harry smith, nbc news, iowa city. that's "nightly news" for this thursday thank you for watching, everyone i'm lester holt. please take care of

yourself and each other. good night

i'm raj mathai. next on "nbc bay area news tonight," the slow and painful divorce. we have inside information about today's negotiations between the a's and the city of oakland. it's not just about the coliseum. also, more storms coming this weekend. we've got an early look at the timeline. plus, it's where you go when it's a matter of life or death. one of the south bay's only trauma centers is closing. so what does that mean for

pa?