Nightly Rundown: Mississippi River flood threat increases; Writer E. Jean Carroll testi fies in Trump battery and defa mation civil trial; Biden and South Korea’s president hold summit; police say escaped Mi ssissippi inmate killed pastor

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Good Wednesday afternoon. Flood warnings are in effect for a wide stretch along the Mississippi River, E. Jean Carroll testifies in Donald Trump’s battery and defamation civil trial, President Biden and South Korea’s president announce new measures to deter North Korean threat, and police in Mississippi say an escaped inmate killed a minister.

Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown.

Flood threat increases as Mississippi River rises

The Mississippi River continues to run very high across Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri, causing flooding in many areas. The river is expected to crest later this week or early next week.

Flood warnings remain along the Mississippi River stretching from St. Paul to north of St. Louis. In addition to the Mississippi, the James River and the Red River are expected to rise to moderate to major flood stage.

This year’s flood threat along the Mississippi is expected to be higher compared to previous years’ because of the high amounts of melting snow in parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota. The Mississippi River at Rock Island near Davenport is currently at 19.29 feet and is rising. It is expected to crest at 21.6 feet on Monday.

In the West, flood watches are in effect for the Sierra Mountains in California, including Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite Valley. Temperatures will soar through the weekend and rapid snowmelt from the mountains will cause streams and rivers to quickly rise. Highs will be 10 to 20 degrees above average for the rest of the week and overnight lows will be above freezing even as high as 8,000 feet.

This extended period of very warm temperatures will cause flooding along waterways even in Yosemite National Park. This includes the Merced River, the Carson River and the Walker River.

Elsewhere, more than 20 million people were under severe storm threats across the southern Plains and Florida. The main concern across the southern Plains are golf-ball to softball-sized hail and strong tornadoes.

A rare large hail threat is possible in Florida, and in the Texas cities of Dallas, Fort Worth, Wichita Falls, Waco, and Abilene, there is a tornado risk this evening.

Biden and South Korea’s president hold summit

President Joe Biden and South Korea’s president Yoon Suk Yeol agreed to deepen collaboration to deter nuclear escalation by North Korea. Among other things, U.S. officials said, the U.S. will deploy nuclear-armed submarines to South Korea for the first time in decades, signaling Washington’s commitment to defend South Korea against nuclear threats from North Korea and making it more visible.

After their meeting Yoon said he and Biden decided to significantly strengthen countries’ deterrence against North Korea. For his part, Biden said the U.S. will continue to seek diplomacy with North Korea to bolster stability in the region.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said of the meeting, "We firmly believe it's going to underscore the iron-clad alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea, one that clearly has grown far beyond just the peninsula itself. It's now we believe a force for good in the region and around the world."

China’s Xi and Ukraine’s Zelenskyy speak by phone for first time since Ukraine war started

Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by telephone today with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year after months of pressure from Kyiv for such talks. Chinese state media reported that Xi told Zelenskyy that China would send special representatives to Ukraine.

Zelenskyy described the call as "long and meaningful" and said he hoped it would give impetus to relations with Beijing.

Second American dies in Sudan, White House says

The White House said that a second American has died in Sudan in violence between warring military factions.

Kirby, the White House national security spokesperson, also said the violence had decreased significantly during a three-day cease-fire. The U.S. was actively facilitating the departure of a small number of Americans seeking to leave Sudan.

Manhunt for escaped Mississippi inmate suspected of killing minister

Authorities in Mississippi say a man who escaped from a jail along with three other inmates is suspected of killing a pastor who tried to help him after he crashed a stolen motorcycle.

Police say the pastor, 61-year-old Anthony Watts, was shot and killed Monday night after he pulled over to help the man who had wrecked a motorcycle. They say the suspect shot Watts several times and stole his pickup truck.

Police later said the suspect, 22-year-old Dylan Arrington, was believed to have been killed in a shootout with police after barricading himself in a home. A search continued for the three other escaped inmates.

What else we're watching:

Writer E. Jean Carroll took the witness stand in her battery and defamation civil -lawsuit against former President Donald Trump, saying, “I’m here because Trump raped me." Trump has denied the allegation. Referring to Trump’s denial, Carroll testified today that Trump "lied and shattered my reputation and I’m trying to get my life back."

The Walt Disney Co. filed a lawsuit in federal court against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and other officials alleging a "targeted campaign of government retaliation" after the company publicly opposed a state law that critics call "Don't Say Gay." Disney and DeSantis have been embroiled in a feud over Disney World's self-governing privileges in the Orlando area, which the possible Republican presidential contender has threatened to revoke.

Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app.

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