commute. >> all right, anthony, thank you, nbc nightly news is next. more news at 6:00. see you then. on this sunday night, on the run, edward snowden, wanted by the u.s. on espionage charges flees hong kong and is seeking asylum in ecuador. who is helping him and the diplomat fallout. critical condition. late word of the change for the worse for nelson mandela. details live from johannesburg. raging weather. wildfires and historic flooding. and where the severe threat is tonight. high anxiety, daredevil nik wallenda prepares to make a walk across the grand canyon. and life savers, the grueling training it takes to become one of the coast guard's elite rescuers.

>> good evening. the man wanted by the u.s. for spilling classified secrets about the government surveillance programs is on the run tonight in a move that caught everyone by surprise. edward snowden hopped a flight out of hong kong early this morning our time headed for moscow. but his journey will apparently not end there as he looks to find asylum in ecuador. tonight the u.s. has issued a plea to foreign governments around the world to not allow snowden to pass. so far diplomat overtures to bring him into u.s. custody have failed. uncovering both the diplomat and legal fallout tonight, but first, kristen welker with more on how he successfully broke from hiding. >> reporter: tonight the obama administration is blasting hong kong for allowing edward snowden to leave when he didn't have a valid passport. and for not honoring their request to arrest him. now state department officials are reaching out to the countries where snowden may travel, their message, don't let

him in and send him back to the u.s. edward snowden on the move and dodging espionage charges. this morning he landed in moscow aboard a russian jetliner. after fleeing hong kong with the assistance of the anti-secrecy organization wikileaks. >> i want to get him caught and brought back for trial. >> they should use every legal avenue we have to bring him back to the united states. >> reporter: the move infuriating and embarrassing washington, which has asked hong kong to extradite snowden. nbc's ian williams is in hong kong. >> the government here saying that legally it was powerless to stop him. they blamed that on the american paperwork saying that the request for the arrest warrant didn't fully comply with hong kong law and had to be returned. they revoked his passport yesterday before he left hong kong. the state department wouldn't comment on his passport specifically, but said in a

statement, persons wanted on felony charges such as mr. snowden should not be allowed to proceed in any further international travel other than is necessary to return him to the united states. it is believed he is planning to wind up in ecuador a country that granted asylum to wikileaks founder julian assange. wikileaks released this statement today. snowden is bound for the republic of ecuador via a safe route for the purposes of asylum. in a tweet, ecuador's foreign minister said he contacted the country seeking asylum. legal experts say countries grant asylum if a person can prove they have a legitimate fear of persecution. >> the law is important here. that is the first place to look. beyond the law, that's going to be the exercise of state craft

and u.s. power. >> reporter: ever since he leaked documents revealing the government's expansive program of internet records, debate has swirled about the impact of those leaks. nsa director, keith alexander. >> what snowden has revealed has caused irreversible and significant damage to our allies and our country. >> but on "meet the press," "the guardian" defender broke the source. >> he believes that it's vital that he stay out of the clutches of the u.s. government because of the record of the obama administration on people who disclose wrongdoing of what political officials are doing in the dark. >> reporter: now legal experts say individual countries can decide to waive passport requirements. which means that he can still travel internationally. >> kristen welker starting us off. thanks. for more we turn to andrea mitchell and chief justice correspondent pete williams. let me start with you, pete. my understanding was that the u.s. government had carefully crafted the language in this extradition request to withstand any challenges.

yet hong kong government says it wasn't good enough. what happened? >> justice officials say they have been in touch with hong kong since june 10th and ever since then hong kong authorities haven't raised any problem. they say the charges were filed june 14th, hong kong was asked to arrest him. the very next day. they say eric holder called his counterpart, the attorney in hong kong, and they asked them to speed it up. and they said they were looking at it, that it was under review. and then last friday night, they say the hong kong authorities sent new questions. they said the u.s. was in the process of responding when they were told he had left. >> and let me turn to andrea. you've got the hong kong government, chinese government, russian government. ecuador government. what's the diplomat fallout from all of this so far? >> it's considerable. there's no great mystery here. beijing laid its heavy hand on hong kong and dictated his escape. any new relationship with the president is going to be severely affected by this. there is a lot of damage. china is now pointing to snowden's disclosure last week

that the u.s. had been cyberspying on china's most prominent universities and other institutions to reject the president's recent arguments against china's hacking of military and corporate targets. there's also a lot of anger at russia and vladimir putin. and a warning, that warning to any country that he passes through, if he isn't arrested, it will damage the relationship with the u.s. that means you cuba, ecuador and russia. >> thank you. now the late word from south africa tonight that nelson mandela's condition has worsened. now in critical condition at the hospital where he has been for more than two weeks. we're outside the hospital in pretoria. >> reporter: good evening. nelson mandela's condition has gotten worse in the last 24 hours according to tonight's statement. president zuma making the announcement that he is now critical after meeting with nelson mandela's wife here at the hospital. she's been beside his hospital bed for the last two weeks. meanwhile, other family members

have been visiting him almost every day. in the statement, president zuma says that the doctors are doing everything possible. he says he's in good hands. >> thank you. across this country, tonight weather conditions are severe and they are extreme. mike taibbi has that for us tonight. >> reporter: it's hard to see just through the cloud cover how big a danger still poses for the wildfire coursing through colorado. so far it's just missed the resort town of south fork. the residents have been told it could be a week or more before they can return home. >> we don't know whether we're going to tough it out and stay here or head for home. >> reporter: overnight the fire's footprint grew from 65 to over 100 square miles. parched timberland now turned into dead wood fire fields.

too hot to attack directly. >> firefighters are not going to be put into the midst of that and trying to work it to have to back off because of the hazard. >> reporter: back off and rely on the hope that something in the weather data changes. >> it looks like mother nature has lit a match over this area. >> reporter: in arizona, the fight against the week long fire has taken 770 firefighters, 40 pieces of equipment, 7 helicopters and $4.5 million so far. in alberta, canada, they continue dealing with the flooding. six months worth of rain in a two-day period turning the river valley including the city of calgary into a disaster zone. the power grid devastated and tens of thousands evacuated and issued warnings under threat of arrest. >> residents are advised to remain away from bridges, waterways, banks and evacuated areas for their own safety. >> reporter: fire and rain in

the sense that it's never the calm before the storm but only between the storms. mike taibbi, nbc news, los angeles. >> a moment of silence today for the pilot and wing walker who perished when their stunt plane suddenly crashed and burned at the dayton air show in ohio. a giant flag flew above the airport for jane wicker and her pilot. the events continued today part of a transition when these types of tragedies occur. to florida where opening statement in the george zimmerman second-degree murder trial are set to get under way tomorrow morning. this on the heels of a key decision by the judge about screams heard on a 911 call on the night trayvon martin was killed. nbc ron mott is at the courthouse in sanford for us tonight. >> and the four alternates? >> yes, your honor. >> and is this jury panel acceptable to you, sir? >> yes, your honor. >> reporter: tonight as they await monday's opening statements in a trial that could send him to prison for the rest

of his life, his lead attorney says his client's favorable court ruling this weekend should help the jury determine for itself who is yelling on that rainy evening last year. >> this is now the trial that it should have been. this case should have been only about the facts that existed on that one night on february 26th. we shouldn't have the external pressures or junk science or make believe experts coming in to affect our jury. >> reporter: saturday the judge barred prosecution experts from testifying saying they failed to use generally accepted scientific techniques in claiming zimmerman's voice is not the one screaming. >> do you think he's yelling help? >> yes. >> what is -- >> there's gunshots. >> you just heard gunshots? >> yes. >> how many? >> just one. >> reporter: zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder saying he fired in self-defense.

>> the prosecutors losing this critical ruling, they're going to have to rely even more on the testimony of the young woman who spoke to trayvon martin by cell in the final minutes of his life. >> reporter: the case sparked protest and rekindled the uneasy conversation about race. a discussion focused on recent days on the all women jury of six who will decide his fate. trayvon martin's parents say they want justice for their son. >> the concept of equal justice under the law isn't a black or white value, it's an american value. >> reporter: the prosecution is up first when opening statements begin tomorrow here at the courthouse at 9:00. the defense will follow. the jury will be sequestered throughout the course of this trial, a trial expected to last anywhere from two to four weeks. >> in the interest of full disclosure, we note that george zimmerman has sued nbc universal, the parent company of this network for defamation. the company strongly denied his

allegations. the next few days could bring blockbuster decisions from the u.s. supreme court. decisions that could very well transform our most basic social institutions. once again, our justice correspondent pete williams. >> reporter: the hot button issue of gay rights dominates an unusually long list of cases left to decide. >> i can't remember a week that is as historic as the one we're about to see where you have at least three or four decisions that will lead the evening news and will be remembered for decades or even centuries. >> reporter: two gay couples are challenging the proposition 8 in california passed in 2008 banning same-sex marriage there. >> we're no different than anyone else. we deserve the same rights. marriage benefits us and doesn't harm you. >> reporter: the court will rule on the defensive marriage act. it blocks the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages in the states where they're legal. in the three months since the

court heard the case, legislators in three more states have agreed to permit. bringing the total to 12 states plus washington, d.c. no way to know how that will influence the justices. the court will decide the fate of the most important civil rights law ever passed. the voting rights act. it requires states with a history of discrimination to get federal approval before changing how they conduct elections. shelby county, alabama, south of birmingham says the law is so outdated it's no longer constitutional. >> the america that elected barack obama is not the america of our parents and grandparents. >> reporter: another case challenges affirmative action in school admissions. the university of texas says considering race is one factor gets more diversity on campus overall and within the minority groups. when the case was argued last october, a majority including chief justice john robert seem s to find that too vague. >> when will i know that you've

reached a critical mass? >> reporter: one bit of drama we're not expecting is a retirement, the court's oldest justice ruth ginsberg shows no sign of slowing down. >> when nightly news continues, inside the u.s. coast guard's high tech training center. saving lives is serious business. and carrying the family tradition to new heights, nik wallenda's great adventure.

last night in a program we introduced you to the elite rescue swimmers from the u.s. coast guard. the incredibly brave men and women who swim into the face of danger to bring victims to safety. hollywood told their story in the 2006 "the guardian." tonight we take you to the new $24 million school where rescue

swimmers are molded in a program as grueling as that of navy s.e.a.l.s. >> reporter: a roadway turns everything upside down. the men inside the capsized boat have mere seconds to open an exit, unbuckle and swim to the surface. thankfully even those who don't make it get a second chance here in the coast guard's advanced new rescue training center where a normal day can turn into a dark and severe stormy night. >> if we have a wave, lighting. we're creating a real more realistic environment. >> reporter: this is also home to the coast guard's elite rescue swimmer school. the men and women who literally leap to the rescue are trained here. high tech effects can create realistic rescue scenarios. but it's low tech, sweat, exertion, dizzying challenges and mental toughness that makes

or breaks trainees during an 18 week course. >> i can teach them how to swim and tread water, but i can't teach don't wit quit. because we can't quit in the ocean. >> reporter: but quit or fail, many of them will. these two are the only ones left of the class of 18. do you look at each wondering is it going to be one of us? >> that's what they try to tell you. they try to get into your head. >> reporter: this is this man's second try to become a rescue swimmer. >> i'm going to have to push myself as hard if not harder this time around. >> reporter: it's his partners first try. he's already picked up valuable tricks. >> often times i sing songs in my head while we're doing underwater. anything to take my mind off what i am physically doing. >> reporter: when they fly to the rescue, the swimmers are part of a team. but once in the water, they have to work alone. >> why are we here? what's our job? >> the brick exercise pushes trainees to the edge of hypoxia.

they work a brick across the pool taking turns coming up for air. >> any kind of under water exercise, clearly that's what your mind can make or break what happens. >> reporter: many of the trainees come here already accomplished swimmers. but learning these ropes is a whole new game. >> you may come here an amazing athlete, but they've never been pushed to the point before where they can't go any farther. >> reporter: in this facility, they can test their metal against the worst ocean conditions computers can create. if they can survive 18 weeks here, they'll survive the worst the real ocean can toss at them. >> i came here to be a rescue swimmer and that's what i'm going to do. no matter what they throw at me, i'm going to get through it. >> the swimming community is a small one. there are only about 300 of them. if you can cut the 18 week training program, it's another month before the swimmers join

air units. in a moment, heavenly images around the world on supermoon weekend. ♪

from italy tonight, word that the body of actor james gandolfini will be returned to the u.s. tomorrow. earlier than expected. gandolfini, the acclaimed mob boss on tv's "sopranos" died of a heart attack last week in rome. it's supermoon weekend. when the move passes by earth at its closest point of the year, the big bright full moon last night was 14% wider, 30% brighter, and it was pretty amazing. here is the view from the french alps. east rutherford, new jersey. and the temple of poseidon in athens. if you missed it, don't worry,

tonight's viewing is supposed to be just as spectacular. challenging news for those of us watching our weight. return of twinkies. return the twinkies. the company went bankrupt after a bitter fight with union workers last year but it has new owners now who hope to have twinkies back in the store shelves next month. up next, a daredevil on a death-defying mission. how come he is as cool as a cucumber?

finally tonight, no hands, no harness, no net. tonight 7th generation nik wallenda will try to become the first man to cross the grand canyon on a tight rope. nbc ben fogle is there for us tonight. ben. >> reporter: grand canyon safety crews make their finalal inspections. the wait is almost over. >> my heart is pounding. >> reporter: later tonight, 34-year-old nik wallenda will attempt another death defying act. a walk across the grand canyon a on a 2 inch cable, no safety net, no harness, all live on the discovery channel. >> clearly my life is on the line, but really it's about fulfilling a dream. >> reporter: it's not the first time he's put his life on the line. braving winds and an icy cold mist he walked across the

niagara falls last year. >> the impossible is not quite impossible if you set your mind to it. >> reporter: then he was 200 feet above the falls with the safety line attached. tonight he will be 1500 feet above the canyon. about the height of the empire state building. on a cable that stretches 1400 feet long. about the length of four football fields. factor in possible winds. >> it's the most challenging walk that i've ever done. i don't even want to talk about death. >> reporter: the six-time guinness world record holder has had a few terrifying stumbles in previous stunts. but wallenda is at ease hundreds of feet above the ground. >> the flying wallendas. >> reporter: wire walking has been the family business since their circus act started in 1780. over the years seven have died falling from the wire. so no one knows better than him that something could go terribly wrong. >> the truth is it's life or death. and when i make it to the other side, we all know it's life.

>> reporter: well it took him half an hour to walk across niagra falls. and it's expected to take him the same amount of time to walk across the canyon. >> you can watch that live on the discovery channel tonight at 8:00 eastern. that's nbc nightly news for this sunday. brian williams will be here tomorrow. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. for all of us at nbc news, good night.

and right now at 6:00, rain is making it's return to the bay area. a stormy downtown san francisco. on the right, rain drops on our camera. good evening. i'm terry mcsweeney. it is officially summer, it doesn't look or feel that way. it is cloudy and a little cool. we're tracking the changes outdoors, there's some big changes coming this way. >> lard to believe we were talking 80s and 90s a few hours ago. some a