it has been kind of a soggy afternoon around the santa clara valley. more showers probably through monday and then dryer midweek. then more coming in for thursday. >> sounds good, rob. "nightly news" is next. hope you can join us again at 6:00. tonight, the crushing end of the road for team usa, knocked out of the world cup today. across the u.s., fans on the edge of their seats, the american's attempt at the comeback in the second half ultimately overpowered by the netherlands. what happens next for the youngest teams ever >> we can hang with the best in the world. record turnout in georgia and how each candidate is trying to turn their voters out with only days to go. a deadly rogue wave hits a cruise ship at sea. one american killed. other passengers injured. new photos of the windows smashed in as passengers review what they saw

>> it was just a boom. like something huge hit the side of your house. >> america's newest weapon the high-tech stealth bomber just unveiled by the pentagon. what it is capable of. tragedy in texas a young girl gone missing from her home, then found murdered. what police say this fedex driver admitted after delivering a package to her home. terrifying video of a coyote attacking a toddler in l.a her father rushing to the rescue. and this is the christmas tree of the future we take you inside the labs trying to grow the perfect tree >> announcer: this is nbc night lie -- nightly news with jose diaz-balart. compared to other countries soccer is not america's obsession yet. but for the past few weeks, it has been america's passion. team usa made a heroic run at the world cup but today that run came to an end watch parties across the country, you can

see the excitement when the americans scored their only goal today. but after the game ended, with the netherlands winning 3-1, you can see the pain in the faces of american players they were always the underdogs but they had been defying predictions, even tying their first game against powerhouse england. tonight, their world cup hopes have been dashed but with such a young team, that dream is far from over. meagan fitzgerald was at the game today and reports from qatar >> reporter: tonight, a disappointing end to team usa's quest for a world cup title. >> we all want to create moments for people back home to fall in love with the game and tonight was not one of those nights. >> reporter: players and coaches heart broken but consoling each other. >> such a good group of guys. such a close group of guys and we came up short today. but not for lack of trying and not for the lack of effort they poure everything they had into this game and unfortunately, they lost. >> we have an elimination match and you have to go 90

minutes and unfortunately, that didn't happen. not today. >> reporter: americans at watch parties across the country the americans coming out hot. star player christian pulisic with a shot on goal in the first three minutes of the game but before the end of the first half, the netherlands with two back-to-back goals, taking a 2-0 lead. team usa trying to rally with a goal late in the second half >> right back in it. >> gets the cross. >> reporter: it wasn't enough the netherlands sealing their fate with a third goal just minutes left in the game, with a third goal the fans came out in droves to cheer on team usa it just wasn't the outcome they were looking for. >> how you are feeling right now? >> we're disappointed. i really wanted america to win. >> my team lost tonight but they lost to the better team >> reporter: meanwhile, in the

second match of the night, lionel messi leading argentina to a win over australia, and he saw the socce game, in likely the last world cup tour and those the americans are headed home, a hero's welcome awaits tonight, president biden tweeting his support, saying fellas, you made us proud. you get up and keep going. because it's the american spirit. never give up. >> i keep hearing usa, usa, usa. >> usa, usa, usa >> meagan joins us from doha. what's next? >> reporter: they are a young team that knows their potential. they have their sights on the world cup of 2026 played in the u.s., canada and mexico. to politics now, and the midterm elections which are finally, yes, finally coming to a conclusion the georgia senate runoff is now just three days away. and both sides are doing everything they

can to get their voters out vaughn hillyard is with the candidates in georgia. >> reporter: the final midterm contest of 2022 now in its final weekend. and the enthusiasm has not let up [ cheers ] after an unprecedented surge in early voting, culminating with a record-setting day on friday, both sides now are trying to fire up their voters and get them to the polls on tuesday. as the university of georgia battled it out on the football field today, fans outside the game battled over the senate candidates. >> i think warnock >> why >> because he is a steadfast person >> herschel. >> why >> because he and i think alike. we have. some of the same beliefs. >> reporter: herschel walker was there hoping his status with the georgia bulldogs will help propel him to washington. >> we need warriors, we don't need politicians, we need people who will fight for the country. >> reporter: outside the union hall - >> i don't want to do

the victory dance before we get into the end zone. >> reporter: the democratic incumbent senator raphael warnock. >> georgia deserves a candidate who actually knows what he is talking about. >> reporter: and supporters rallied to turn out the vote. >> we are canvassing neighborhoods, going door to door. >> reporter: georgia has become a true battleground state, and if a new proposal becomes reality, i could become a major player in determining the next president a dnc committee is advancing the plan to move the peach state's presidential primary up earlier, but more controversially it will have south carolina going first eliminating iowa but new hampshire says not south carolina going first no matter what the dnc says >> we will be one week before whoever end up being first, might be declared by the dnc. >> new hampshire is ready for a battle to be the first. >> yes, it's clear that new hampshire will be the first in the nation primary >> vaughn joins us now from atlanta

this is round two. are people still voting in the same numbers as they did in november >> reporter: jose, they've already smashed early voting records. and listen to this number 76,000 georgians who did not vote in the november general election have voted in this runoff. and all of this is before election day. jose >> vaughn hillyard in atlanta, thank you. we are getting new details tonight about a massive wave that killed a cruise passenger. today, a traveller who had been on board described what happened when the wall of water hit the ship. we have a report on that and why scientists say the giant so-called rogue waves could become more common. >> reporter: beautiful blue views off the coast of argentina turned deadly, when a monster wave crashed into the ship. the force was so strong, windows on the cruise ship were knocked out, killing a 62-year-old american woman. >> it was a boom just like something huge hit the side of your house >> reporter: and this woman from topeka

was lucky. four other passengers injured, she said her room was one floor above the shattered windows. what was it like when the wave hit? >> we were laying down if we were on our feet, we would be knocked off our feet i think the thing that amazed me, how stable the ship was because it didn't rock back and forth, it really took the brunt of the wave. >> reporter: experts call the rarity rogue wave the national oceanic and atmospheric administration says these walls of water are greater than twice the size of surrounding waves and they captured rough conditions as an intense low pressure system moved through the area where the ship was sailing with wind gusts between 40 and 60 miles per hou and waves as high as 50 feet. and experts say climate change will make the dangerous phenomenon more common >> a closet fell over on a couple. there was a foot of water in the hall once it hit everything came in the ceiling was coming down in the hall >> reporter: she says passengers are now taking flights back

home viking has canceled the ship's next scheduled departure. in a statement, the cruise line shared its deepest sympathies, and said it's investigating the facts surrounding the incident and will offer its support to the relevant authorities. a tragedy aboard a cruise ship, with mother nature's beauty, met instead by the fury. nbc news the package just unveiled its new high-tech weapon to protect the u.s., newly released, a stealth bomber, the first to roll out in more than 30 years josh lederman has more on why this one is a military game changer. >> reporter: the unveiling came against the backdrop of the california night sky the new b-21 bomber looks a bit like a sting ray, with sleek bat-like wings, but it's designed not to be seen. it incorporates half a century of advances in stealth technology, capable of precision nuclear or conventional strikes anywhere in the world. the defense secretary on hand for the big reveal at the air site near los angeles.

>> even the most sophisticated air defense systems will struggle to detect the b-21 in the sky. >> reporter: the first ne american bomber in more than 30 years, as the pentagon worked to modernize all three legs of the u.s. nuclear triad, the ability to launch a nuclear strike from land, sea, or air. northrop grumman touting the long range and advanced computing power, calling it a digital bomber >> the world has never seen technology like the b-21 >> reporter: the bomber was unveiled under cover of darkness in a closely controlled event, giving the public a glimpse without revealing highly-classified secrets which th pentagon hopes will give the u.s. an edge in the growing military rivalry with china, as the defense department warns beijing is rapidly expanding its own nuclear arsenal. six of the new bombers are currently in production but the military has said it plans to order at least 100 in all. the first test flight is expected next year.

the b-21 named after the raider from world war ii, whose surprise attack on japan after pearl harbor helped restore america's military morale. >> this isn't just another airplane it's the embodiment of america's determination and it's a testament to our strategy of deterrence, with the capabilities to back it up. >> and josh joins us now from the white house. what do these bombers cost >> reporter: well, the air force has estimated each one would cost $692 million. but inflation is clearly going to affect those costs and so the final price per plane is likely to be well over $700 million. jose >> josh lederman at the white house, thank you. coming up next, the fedex driver accused of killing a little girl. what the delivery company is saying now. also, the new warning about tiktok from the nation's top intelligence office.

a missing girl case in texas has now turned into a murder investigation. and at the center of it, a fedex driver who dropped off a package the day she went missing. maggie vespa has details and what fedex is saying about their delivery drivers >> reporter: in a neighborhood in fort worth, texas, flyers signify utter heartbreak. >> it is one of the toughest investigations that i've been involved in. because it's a child >> reporter: a shaken sheriff friday confirming 7-year-old

athena strand has been found dead her body discovered less than ten miles from her driveway where investigators say 31-year-old fedex driver tanner lynn horner was making a delivery to her home when he kidnapped the girl athena's stepmother was reportedly inside. >> i spent quite a bit of time with the family they're devastated they're angry. >> reporter: the nightmare started wednesday. authorities say athena got home from school around 4:30. two hours later, her stepmother realizes she's gone and called 911 prompting an amber alert and a massive search led by 200 volunteers then a tip someonone rememberered seeieing a delivivery drdriver investigigators workrking withth the texasas rangers anand the fbi i i.d.'d horner, they believe he killed athena within an hour of taking her a search revealed no criminal record for horner who authorities note is a contract driver with fedex.

the company writing words cannot express our shock and sorrow, adding that fedex contracts with independent businesses and those employees are subject to criminal history background checks. >> abduction and homicide, it is every parent's worst nightmare. >> reporter: former fbi agent breanna fox says while stranger abductions are rare, close encounters with strangers have become more common. with them, headlines about crimes against unsuspecting customers. fox hopes parents seeing the story talk to their kids. >> making sure they understand that they can be polit and they have the right to yell and scream no if someone tries taking them. >> we tried to talk to the family, so far no response the driver is charged with kidnapping and capital murder and held on $1.5 million bond >> maggie vespa, thank you. a terrifying coyote attack caught on camera. the toddler's father rushing to her rescue.

the future of christmas trees. the groundbreaking lab research that could end up in your living room

a new warning tonight about the world's most popular app. chinese social media app tiktok has about 8 -- 8 million monthly users here in the u.s., but now the top u.s. intelligence official says the video-sharing app could be used to collect data on users and then target audiences for information campaigns.

nbc's andrea mitchell at the reagan national defense forum spoke with the director of national intelligence. >> should parents be concerned about their kids being so, you know, wanting to use tiktok >> i'm probably not the best person to ask that question but i think, i don't have kids, but i will tell you, i think you should be. it is just, it is, it's extraordinary, the degree to which china in particular, but they're not the only ones, obviously, are, you know, developing frameworks for collecting foreign data, and pulling it in, and their capacity to then turn that around and use it. >> tiktok has responded to previous accusations by saying its american operations are bound by u.s. law. and now to a terrifying coyote attack caught on camera take a look at this. it happened in suburban los angeles a little girl and her father were in the

driveway, and the 2-year-oldld in pink, , there yoyou see her,r, was just behind the cacar when a a coyote grgrabbed ththe toddler r in its mouth h and tried d to drag her away. the father, you see, ran to save her and chased the animal away the little girl was not seriously injured. this weekend is traditionally the busiest time to buy a christmas tree tonight we're going to take you to the labs and onon the farms wher scientists are trying to create the best christmas trees of the future, bigger, better and smell better >> reporter: in north carolina's blue ridge mountains -- >> there is one over here that might work. >> reporter: three generations of the family continue the tradition. >> what do you think about that one >> i like that one there. >> reporter: in all, four trees, including one for 7-year-old charlie's bedroom. >> why did you choose this tree of all the trees?

>> because it has a lot of greenery on it. >> reporter: along the east coast, the tree on your neighborhood lot likely was grown in north carolina. >> i was driving a tractor when i was nine years old. >> farmer joe freeman. >> frasier fir is the most popular because of the overall appearance the strong branches, the smell. >> reporter: but it's what you cannot see on his 350,000-tree orchard that's ground-breaking. behind every tree, there is more than just farming these days, there's science and yes, even genetics, for what has become the definition of the perfect christmas tree in a first of its kind lab in north carolina state, justin leads a team of researchers on the cusp of creating super trees, christmas trees that grow in six years, instead of 10 is there an analog to what you're doing in the lab here? >> so we're developing

the elite athlete of christmas trees, essentially. >> reporter: scientists extract dna, and at the molecular level pinpoint what allows some to grow faster than others. >> this is a clump of embryos or baby trees. >> reporter: embryos that are cloned and then grafted into saplings like many of those now growing on joe freeman's farm four decades of research finally paying off, just as climate change becomes an urgent challenge. >> we've got to be able to have better trees so when we have an early frost, a late frost, the wet season, the dry season, whatever, we need a of tree that's robust enough to live through that >> reporter: here in the research orchards, more progress. >> you want the needles to stay on, but you're also working on - >> on the aroma of the tree. >> the aroma >> yes. >> it smells great. >> it smells great, yes. >> reporter: and you thought that perfect christmas tree like the one in charlie's bedroom was just good luck kerry sanders, nbc news, laurel springs, north carolina

and when we come back, keys to the future the holiday surprise changing lives

there's good news tonight about helping others succeed and the holiday surprise that put one resilient group of people in the fast lane to a better future >> open your little memory box. >> it was the life-changing surprise

last month that gave this group new hope ahead of the holidays. >> you are all getting a car. and a year worth of insurance and a year worth of gas [ cheering ] >> for nine guests at this celebration, a gift promising a new car, insurance, and free gas for a year. the emotion overwhelming after lives marked by tough times. most here are former foster kids like 23-year-old brielle, she had been in 12 different homes all before age seven. >> what does this mean for you? >> getting a car was just a blessing, and it was just, my kids will be warm, that's the first thing i thought of, my kids will be warm we won't have to be cold waiting on a bus. >> the cars, a lifeline from the nonprofit "one simple wish," its mission to spread love, hope and

joy to children and to young adults impacted by foster care, abuse and neglect. >> i'm so committed to doing anything i can to make life better for you. >> danielle is the group's founder. what inspired you to do the giveaways >> one of ththe greatestst hurdles for individuals aging out of the foster care system is transportation so when you're thinking about the holidays are coming up, what is the way that we could surprise them with something really epic? >> this man won a car that night, too. he came from war-torn liberia, nominated for his dedication for helping other foster kids for sano, it means a safe ride for his daughter and reliable transportation to his job as a founder of a peer mentorship group in georgia. >> it has been a rough journey trying to figure out how to survive on the outside and building relationships and i wanted to reach back and help other young people be able to do that. [ cheers ] >> the car is an empowering symbol of support for a better road ahead

why do you do what you do >> i do what i do because i really truly believe in the power of love to make a big difference in anybody's life [ cheers ] >> and that's "nbc nightly news" for this saturday kate snow will be here tomorrow night i'm jose diaz balart thank you for the privilege of your time good night ♪♪ right now at 6, we are tracking flooding and accidents as rain continues to fall on the bay area. we will tell you which roads are seeing the worse of it. a rally to save a piece of

san francisco. the pledge from officials to bring help to that popular spot. tracking this storm. rain and cold for the weekend. we are tracking the storm and we will have where it's heading next. the news at 6 starts now. thanks for joining us. time terry mcsweeney. the rain making a mess of traffic across the region. in the south bay crews working to drain water after roads flooded a couple hours ago, old oakland road, san jose, the aftermath of a spin up on alma dan expressway in san jose. no word on any injuries. that car is on the edge. drive safely is what we're saying. the roads are slick right now. here is a quick look outside. rain is going to be coming down for a while. you have the shiny roads out there and the rain here means this in the mountains. a lot of snow. check out this video from u