on our broadcast tonight -- moment of impact from a high-speed train disaster captured on camera in spain. scores are dead and injured. tonight we'll hear from one of the americans on board. >> mass appeal -- the incredible scene live tonight in rio. a rock star reception for the pope after a day of crushing crowds among the poorest of the poor. >> cancer vaccine -- a new warning tonight. why aren't more kids getting the vaccine that's been proven to prevent cancer? >> hack attack -- millions of americans about to find their credit card information has been swiped from some of the places where they swipe their card. tonight, some big name stores are on the list. the biggest data breach in history. >> an nbc news exclusive -- george and barbara bush talk about the former president's solidarity buzz cut to support a 2-year-old undergoing chemo for leukemia.

"nightly news" begins now. >> announcer: from nbc news world headquarters in new york this is nbc "nightly news" with brian williams. good evening. the very first reports we got after a high-speed train crash in spain last night were from the first people to make it to the wreckage. they didn't want to talk about what they had seen. today we can all see what happened. it is a fast, modern train like so much of rail travel in europe and the rest of the world. to the untrained eye it just seems to take the corner too fast. well that may well turn out to be the official explanation as well. the death toll here is staggering, at least 80 dead. still over 90 hospitalized. here is another way of putting it, the train is feared to have been going faster going into that turn than even the fastest train in this country can travel on a straightaway. nbc's keir simmons starts us off from the scene tonight. keir, good evening.

>> reporter: good evening, brian. behind me they are working through the night to clear the wreckage. they have been here since the accident yesterday evening. it is one of the worst europe has seen for decades. almost all of those on board were either killed or injured. a closed-circuit camera captured the moment the train hurdling off the rails at high speed with more than 200 people aboard. amateur video shows smoke pouring from the wreckage. [ speaking foreign language ] "my god," the cameraman said, "this is a nightmare." first responders rushed to help. passengers trapped. casualties lifted through windows carried away by paramedics. the toll was staggering. scores dead including one american. among the injured, five americans including robert farisa of houston and his wife myrta, in europe for their daughter's wedding. >> our car flipped over. it became chaos. things flew. everything.

it was sudden darkness. i was kind of thrown on one side of the train. my wife unfortunately she was sitting on the side where the train flipped over. so everything kind of fell on her. and two other people. >> reporter: his wife was badly hurt. and is in intensive care tonight. >> all she wanted was for me to hug her. that's all i could do. of course, screaming out for help to see if they could actually take her in here, because i knew the sooner the better. >> reporter: today, giant cranes hauled the wreckage from the track. this is one of eight cars from the train. and every one of the carriages we have seen looks the same. windows smashed. the very seats inside thrown around. and in places it is metal shredded. this town has been preparing for a festival. instead people here gathered to give blood. fire fighters on strike went back to work to save lives. spain's king, juan carlos visited the hospital.

the prime minister who is from here declared three days of mourning. an investigation is focussing on the train's two drivers, both survived, and the train's speed. analysis by associated press of the crash video estimates it was going more than double the 50 mile per hour speed limit. brian, here in europe trains continue to be one of the safest ways to travel and one of the most popular. but tonight they're taking a hard look at whether more could have been done to prevent this speeding train from derailing disastrously. brian. >> incredible wreck there in spain tonight. keir simmons starting us off. keir, thanks. here in this country in new york in fact there is late word about the preliminary cause of the rough landing and the runway scare at la guardia airport monday. the ntsb preliminary report reveals instead of flaring out and landing and setting down rear gear first, the southwest airlines boeing 737 landed nose

gear first. because of the metal strain on the struts the front landing gear then collapsed. the plane skidded down the runway for 19 seconds before coming to a stop. there were, as you may know, several minor injuries. >> now to what the feds are telling us is the largest data breach in our nation's history. the private information of millions of americans has been stolen from places where they have swiped debit and credit card. it happened when some big name stores were hit by hackers. prosecutors say it went on for years without anyone noticing. our report tonight from our senior investigative correspondent lisa myers. >> reporter: the hackers allegedly penetrated the computer systems of some of the largest companies in the world, including jcpenney, 7 eleven, nasdaq, haniford's, jet blue, heartland and stole a staggering 160 million credit and debit card numbers. the numbers were sold to criminals and used as debit or

credit cards and to withdraw money from atms, costing victims at least $300 million. federal prosecutors called it the largest hacking fraud case in history. >> this type of crime is really the cutting edge of financial fraud. those who have the expertise and the inclination to break into our computer networks threaten our economic well-being, privacy and ultimately national security. >> reporter: prosecutors described it as a sophisticated seven-year scheme by experienced hackers. four russians and one ukrainian were charged. >> once they got in the networks, they would often brag to each other, that when they were in, they "owned" the networks. >> reporter: the stolen data was allegedly stored in computer servers in the u.s. and around the world and then sold. $10 for an american credit card number. $15 for canadian. $50 for a european. so far the government says the hundreds of millions of dollars in losses have been borne by the companies.

officials also say there are unknown costs to individuals whose identities were stolen or who may not have noticed unauthorized withdrawals or credit card charges. >> the most important thing a consumer can do is to check online cash withdrawals and credit card statements on a regular basis. >> reporter: prosecutors warn that this kind of fraud ultimately costs us all. by increasing the cost of doing business. lisa myers, nbc news, washington. there is a public health story in the news tonight about the now, well-known vaccine proven to protect against a variety of cancers and despite years of encouraging its use, tonight doctors are sounding something of an alarm saying only about half the american girls eligible have received it. that leaves millions more unprotected. we're joined tonight by chief medical editor, dr. nancy snyderman, nancy welcome. >> brian, this is enough of a concern, today the cdc held a press conference.

they're concerned obviously about the hpv vaccine on the market since 2006 recommended for preteen girls and now preteen boys. here is the concern -- only 54% of teen girls have received the vaccination. the reason that matters is because over 26,000 cases of hpv-related cancers are diagnosed every year. everything from cancer of the cervix to cancer of the head and neck. part of the problem is compliance. this has never been a simple vaccine. the cdc has always recommended three doses. the problem is not every kid gets the three doses. and that's a concern. today they're sounding the alarm not only for parents to speak up and demand it. but for, pediatricians to remember that when preteen kids come in for those school physicals before they go back to school that is a perfect time to lump it together. not every school, brian, requires this vaccine along with the recommended ones. so it is really sounding the alarm. this is not a pro-you can have

sex vaccine, this is an anti-cancer vaccine. the sooner we wrap our head around that the better we make public health. >> that's the message they asked us to pass along today. dr. nancy snyderman, thank you. >> we want to take you to an incredible scene unfolding on copacabana beach in rio where a sea of the faithful have turned out to see the pope. there on an elaborate stage they were expecting up to 1 million people. from the looks of it, they have come very close to that goal. nbc's anne thompson covers his trip from an amazing vantage point, tonight, high above the beach. anne, good evening. ♪ >> good evening, brian. it really is a remarkable sight. a massive crowd one that rivals new year's eve on these sands. as pope francis ends a day that took him to both side of the city. pope francis is the man electrifying brazil. he takes every picture. kisses every baby. accepts every gift. an energetic pope the world has not seen in decades.

tonight, enthusiastically welcomed by nearly 1 million young people on copacabana beach. >> i'm so excited! i can't wait to see him! >> reporter: staking their places early. [ chanting ] ♪ as warships patrolled the coast and soldiers walked the tourist-filled streets. this morning, francis happily went where few tourists go, one of rio's notorious favelas where one in five of the city's residents live, rampant with drugs, gangs and crime. here people who exist on as little as $1.30 a day hung out at crumbling cinder block homes and lined the narrow streets to see the man who wants to lead a church for the poor. they sang and danced on the muddy soccer field where the pope spoke. >> happy, happy, happy. >> reporter: as sharpshooters kept watch. [ speaking foreign language ] the pope's visit won't put a roof over anyone's head or food on their table but it does bring

hope. in this country of extreme wealth and poverty, francis called on the rich to do more to help the poor. saying society is measured by how it treats those with the least. he leads by example -- as approachable as a parish priest. ♪ and something francis may just be the leader who could get brazilians and catholics around the world back to church. while not directly addressing anti-government protesters, pope francis did urge young people not to be discouraged by corruption. and told them to work for the common good. brian. >> anne thompson high above copacabana beach in rio. anne, thanks. >> back in this country, one month since the supreme court struck down the heart of the landmark voting rights act. and the obama administration has now opened a big new front in the battle over voting rights. going after strict new voting laws in the state of texas and promising that is just the start of it.

our report tonight from our justice correspondent pete williams. >> reporter: in a bold response to the supreme court's ruling on the voting rights act attorney general eric holder today said the justice department is asking a federal judge to force texas to get court approval before changing how it conducts elections. >> we believe the state of texas should be required to go through a preclearance process whenever it changes its voting laws and practices. >> reporter: a month ago the supreme court struck down the map of where the preclearance requirement applied automatically, mostly in the south. now the justice department is signaling it will go state-by-state seeking to revive the requirement where it can find proof of continuing discrimination at the polls. >> it shows the voting rights act is not dead, shows a way toward a future of the voting rights act in which coverage of areas of the country not based on formulas from 1960 or 1970. >> reporter: today's action challenges the plan by the

republican controlled texas legislature to redraw the boundaries for congressional and state house districts. latino groups say it award ed too little representation to the fastest growing segment of the population. it is likely the justice department will also challenge the state's tough new voter id law. texas sought to revive both those provisions the very day the supreme court ruled. and north carolina moved to toughen its laws including a reduction in early voting hours originally extended to reduce waiting time. texas officials say the attorney general's move is pure politics. >> it appears to be a vindictive act in light of the u.s. supreme court striking down the preclearance requirement for a handful of states including texas. >> reporter: members of the national urban league, where holder made his announcement today, say discrimination at the polls has not gone away. >> many of the people here work very hard against voter suppression efforts in the 2012 election cycle. >> reporter: texas is only the beginning. the next target could be north

carolina if those shorter voting hours and a tough photo id law take effect next year. pete williams, nbc news at the justice department. as you may be aware, we have a new tropical storm out there, dorian its just beginning life in the eastern atlantic churning west. sustained winds now at 60. it will strengthen. while it is way early yet it could start affecting the southeastern u.s. coast late next week. still ahead tonight -- president george h.w. bush, 41, and barbara bush, opening up to their granddaughter jenna about why the former president cut off all his hair. >> later, making a difference, a boy, a truck, and moment of inspiration that changed everything for one family living with autism.

we are back now with more on the striking photograph of 41, former president bush, who suddenly shaved off his hair. so did everybody in his secret service protection detail. we later learned it was in support of a 2-year-old son of one of his secret service agents

who is undergoing chemo for leukemia. the bushes lost their daughter robin at age 4 to leukemia. today, his granddaughter, jenna bush hager, traveled to the family compound in kennebunkport, maine to get a closer look at the buzz cut and to have a candid conversation about what inspired him to do it. >> one of the reasons you shaved your head because you just wanted to see that little boy smile? >> that's right. and all of the agents had done it. and i wanted to show solidarity with them. >> i think john and his wife are very touched and surprised. very. >> does it surprise you that people still are so attracted to the way that everything you do. i mean, i am. but i am biased? >> it does come as a surprise. you don't think of, i think of myself as kind of over the hill. out of it. >> i think of you when you consider the news that you are

one of, a great gentle, man. and certainly can use good, clean, gentle men these days and women. but i think people long for the gampy's of the world. >> what did robin used to say to you, gampy? one thing that i can remembremember -- "i love you more than tongue can tell." >> you loved it when she would say that? >> yeah. >> he always answered "i love you more." >> it makes you think about her when you say it now even? >> absolutely. >> we wanted to let you know, jenna bush hager's interview with her grandparents airs tomorrow morning on "today." >> another break for us. we are back in a moment with uncle harry's first visit with his new nephew named george.

>> a major milestone coming up

this saturday, the 60th anniversary of the end of the korean war where so many americans of course served and died. in south korea today, american vets paid a visit to the dmz between north and south. still, a tense armed border all these years later. and in north korea, a new national cemetery opened by kim jong-un. among those present, our own ann curry, reporting from there for us starting here tomorrow night. >> "consumer reports" has scored the chevrolet impala, the top sedan in its recent testing. that means a car made by one of the big three automakers had scored better than cars from audi, lexus, acura, jaguar, a huge win for general motors. while you can still find some of the old impalas on the road the name plate has been brought back, completely redesigned and now richly rewarded. in its category only the bmw, 135-i, and the tesla scored any higher. >> prince harry, as we

mentioned, has reacted to his new nephew george. the two of them enjoyed quality time. though he pointed out the baby was crying his eyes out during their entire time together. the prince seems to be taking the new arrival in stride with his usual good humor. >> it is fantastic to have another addition to the family. i only hope my brother knows how expensive my babysitting charges are. >> harry went on to say he sees his part of the mission as an uncle to make sure george has a good upbringing keep him out of harm's way and make sure he has fun in life. the rest he says is up to his parents. >> up next for us -- making a difference. a 4-year-old boy with autism and an amazing breakthrough his family feared they would never see.

our final story here tonight, starts with a pretty familiar sound in cities and towns across this country. the rumble of the garbage truck rolling up and down the street. on one particular street in fresno, california, that sound and the guy who drives the truck are making a difference in their own way in the life of a young boy living with autism. they're having a big impact as well on his family. and we get their story tonight from nbc's miguel almaguer. >> reporter: 4-year-old greyson and his mom chrissy can hear the rumble they know he is on the way. >> he is jumping up and down and flapping his hands and just

feeling so much joy. >> reporter: frank diaz looks forward to this stop all week. >> i see joy. i see when he jumps up and down he is excited. >> reporter: like so many little boys, greyson loves the roar of the garbage truck. >> hey, little buddy. >> reporter: few know greyson struggles with autism making it difficult to communicate. >> i didn't have a typical child who spoke or said mommy, i want to get out of bed. or mommy, "i love you." >> reporter: a few weeks ago when frank pulled up greyson broke his silence. >> he said "i want truck." it was a breakthrough into my world. and not only did he talk to me. he said three words. >> reporter: for a family living with autism it was a milestone. >> it is such a -- a rare but special moment between the two of us. honestly it was magical. >> reporter: the kellys have two

boys. little brother parker who is just 2, shows signs of autism, but is too young to be officially diagnosed. >> dear frank -- chrissy shares her family story on her blog, connecting with moms around the world. >> you broke into his world when i couldn't. >> reporter: greyson's dad michael says it is one man who is making a difference in their son's life. >> frank gives me hope that people out there won't discriminate against my son. >> i got your picture up there. >> reporter: frank carries greyson's picture in his truck. >> i saved all my breaks today. >> reporter: a connection made with just a few simple words, but with a meaning that goes so much deeper. miguel almaguer, nbc news, fresno, california. that is our broadcast on a thursday night. thank you for being here with us. i am brian williams. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night.

nbc bay area news starts now. thanks for joining us this thursday evening. i'm janelle wang. >> new tonight at 6:00. system break down. they are trying to find out why their emergency systems didn't work properly. in contra costa county a glitch led to an evacuation alert. and a parts failure meant the backup system for 911 went down

completely. both of these happened in the last 24 hours. >> reporter: that's right. pretty quick. now these kind of 911 emergency lines are provided as a sort of a backup. the lines, most of them were down this morning. it was just half an hour, but those we spoke with said that was unacceptable. for a mother of two, suspicion turned into panic a month ago. >> when i was driving with my kids in the car and something was fishy. >> reporter: feeling threatened, she dialed 911. >> to my greatest disappointment it was busy. i got a busy signal more than one time. >> reporter: she said it was the fours time she called 911. and every time she got that busy signal. today, if you called that 911 nonemergency number, you'd also hear a busy signal. the county said one party