iphone. >> thanks so much, marianne. >> thanks so much for joining us. on our broadcast tonight, cancer diagnosis. sweeping new recommendations from the nation's top cancer doctors that would change the way we define the disease and how we fight it. making history. we're on the pope's plane as he makes some stunning comments that sure sounded revolutionary following his incredible trip to rio. the clinton connection. hillary clinton meets privately with the president. they are shown enjoying lunch a safe distance from the scandal in new york that now includes a longtime aide. and who did it and when? it's been attempted in the movies, but how is it that over $100 million in jewels just walked out the door of a famous hotel? "nightly news" begins now.

good evening. tonight our lead story comes from the world of medicine. it's about cancer, and it's about changing how we refer to it, changing our definition of it. in part, it's about the minor stuff, the comparatively smaller things that are discovered during screenings, giving them different names, making them a lot less scary. a panel of this nation's top doctors now says even the word cancer is often misused. they warn not all cancers are alike, not all are deadly so they shouldn't be treated or talked about the same way. in plain english, they want to stop wasting time, money and worry and concentrate on what's important. it's where we begin here tonight with our medical editor dr. nancy snyderman. this is important stuff. >> it is, good evening, brian. for many in the cancer world today's step is long overdue in making the diagnosis and treatment of cancer smarter and more cost effective. turn the page of any dictionary, land on the letter "c" and find one of the most frightening words no one wants to hear, cancer.

this one word carries a loaded and complex meaning for millions of americans every year. a panel of experts advising the national cancer institute is recommending an about face in the way doctors diagnose and treat some types of the disease that have little or no chance of being lethal. in fact, the group is even taking a closer look at what the word cancer means in some instances. for example, in women the diagnosis ductal carcinoma in situ is a non-lethal breast disease that should not be called cancer. >> whenever something is called carcinoma or cancer, people immediately want to act, and the reality is we should be watching them as opposed to aggressively treating. >> 66-year-old rue harris wishes he had taken a conservative approach to a possible prostate cancer diagnosis a few years ago. a high psa level had him and his doctor worried he might have the disease which can be slow growing.

he got a biopsy which came back normal, but that process wasted his money, the health care system's money, not to mention costing him lost time and anxiety. >> i spent that whole year between the first biopsy and the second biopsy preparing to die. i wasn't enjoying living. i was scared of the possibility that i might have cancer and that i would die. >> reporter: the organs most overtested for cancer this panel says include thyroid, breast, prostate and lung. >> today's announcement is hopefully a big step in a long process. some of these lesions are not aggressive and actually don't need to be treated and can be watched. >> will there be some pushback? you bet there will, but there is no smoking gun. this is not an attempt to get insurance companies not to cover people. it's to make our medical system work smarter for us, and the next thing i think, brian, we'll have to stop defining cancers by

organ systems and recognize that cancer of the lung has some properties in common with other cancers like of the prostate and ovary and start to treat them with regard to their genetics. >> so it's about language, yes, but also prioritizing in what's become a test-crazy nation. >> exactly. i mean, if you start ct scanning and mri-scanning everybody, you're going to find things that don't look normal. does that mean you should take everything out and start treating people? the answer is no. we know we waste one-third of our medical expenditures on things that aren't worth chasing or aren't worth treating, and you know what? we hurt people in the process, so the smarter we make this, the better we make it. >> that's why today was so impactful. nancy, thank you as always. to the journalists sitting in the back of his plane flying him back to the vatican from rio, the pope's words today during a surprise airborne news conference seemed if not revolutionary certainly newsworthy and historic in terms of the catholic church.

among those journalists on the plane, nbc's anne thompson. >> reporter: from the mass attended by more than three million on copacabana beach to more personal encounters, spectacular images marked pope francis' trip to brazil. but one of the most dramatic moments came on the flight home. >> i'm going to face that. >> reporter: a no holds barred press conference, something no pope has done in years. animated, relaxed and funny. the 76-year-old pontiff took questions for an hour and 20 minutes. asked about the so-called gay lobby inside the vatican, the pope gave an answer no one expected. if a person is gay and seeks the lord and has good will, who am i to judge that person? >> it sends a strong message from the head of the catholic church that gay people should not be marginalized, should not

be discriminated against, should be -- he wants to be inclusive and welcoming to them. >> reporter: francis said no on women priests, explaining the church had spoken on that. as for his predecessor and neighbor at the vatican, pope benedict, francis likened him to a wise grandfather. he says he doesn't live in the papal apartments because they are just too big. he says he cannot live alone for psychological reasons. francis likes to have people around him. that's why he liked having less security around him so he can meet people. he knows there could be a crazy person in the crowd but says there's also the lord. asked what's in his black briefcase, the pope joked it's not the keys to the atomic bomb, just a razor and some books. the pope with a common touch, showing compassion today with his actions and words. anne thompson, nbc news, vatican city. for the first time in three years, israelis and palestinians are sitting down together for peace talks tonight. they are being held in

washington. secretary of state john kerry announced that martin indyk, a veteran diplomat, former u.s. ambassador to israel will guide this process. the goal is to establish a palestinian state alongside israel and to find agreement on borders and security. in cairo tonight after a weekend of violence there, thousands of supporters of the ousted president mohamed morsi remain out in force demanding his return to office. so far tonight's protests have been peaceful. that was not the case, as you may know over the weekend, when a crackdown by the military left at least 85 dead. since morsi was ousted almost four weeks ago, violence in egypt has claimed at least 260 lives. back here, bill and hillary clinton are trying to keep their distance from any associations with anthony weiner whose wife is a longtime hillary clinton aide and confidante and is insisting despite his behavior and a sharp drop in the polls that he is staying in the race for new york city mayor.

our report on all of it tonight from nbc's andrea mitchell. >> reporter: hillary clinton arrived for lunch with the president. on a spring-like day over salad, grilled chicken and pasta jambalaya aides said they were catching up. did they talk about the mayhem in cairo, how to handle vladamir putin, 2016 politics or anthony weiner? nobody was saying, but weiner has become a nightmare for his wife, huma abedin, hillary clinton's aide. weiner said today he isn't going away. >> i don't take my cues from the headline writers in the newspapers. i never have. those are the very same people that didn't want me to run. >> reporter: even though his campaign manager quit over the weekend, and in staten island weiner got a scolding from a retired teacher peg brunda. >> had i conducted myself in the manner that you conducted yours, my job would have been gone. >> reporter: still weiner told a local staten island paper. >> my wife has given me a second chance.

she's now a partner, a partner through thick and thin, and she's been amazingly supportive and enthusiastic about this campaign. >> reporter: when the paper asked what he'd tell his son some day about the scandal weiner joked, first of all, the kid is going to grow up in gracie mansion so i'm going to say, kid, don't complain, but others are complaining, including the governor. >> this is summer political theater in new york. we laugh because if we didn't laugh, we would cry, right? >> reporter: a new quinnipiac poll out today has weiner's support tanking. a majority of democratic primary voters now want him to get out. friends say the clintons are mortified and wish he would take the hint. many wonder why huma would let hillary get dragged into this. as for clinton she's pushing forward. in fact, after today's lunch with the president, tomorrow she's having breakfast with her chief democratic rival in 2016, if she runs, joe biden. andrea mitchell, nbc news, washington. tonight emergency storm

shelters are open. people across the hawaiian islands are bracing for tropical storm flossie. it's expected to dump heavy rain, causing flooding and mudslides. tornadoes are even possible in this. even though the storm is weakening as it approaches the island, and here on the mainland cleanup is under way after severe weather across the east. and in western north carolina two people were swept away over the weekend and drowned. in philadelphia, there was record rainfall. the storm knocked out power to parts of the philadelphia international airport for a time. the u.s. senate late today confirmed james comey president obama's choice to lead the fbi. the vote was 93-1. comey will replace robert muller who has led the agency since just before the 9/11 attacks almost 12 years ago now. he is a republican and served as deputy attorney general. the fbi today announced the rescue of more than 100 children, part of a nationwide sting operation into child sex trafficking, and they also

announced about 150 alleged traffickers are under arrest tonight. officials say the children are among those often referred to as lost kids who drop out of sight with no one to look out for them. our justice correspondent pete williams has the story tonight. >> reporter: in a weekend operation carried out by the fbi and hundreds of local police nationwide, officials say they freed 105 children trapped into child prostitution and arrested 150 adults who will face a range of charges, including human trafficking. investigators say the enforcement operation focused on places where young teenaged girls were made available for sex. >> that includes tracks, truck stops, motels, casinos, internet sites, social media platforms and the like. >> reporter: it's the latest stage in what the fbi calls operation cross country carried out this time in 76 cities, bringing to 2,700 the number of children rescued from child predators in the past decade.

>> may i speak with lauren. >> reporter: agents posed as potential customers responding to online ads and arranging to meet girls in hotel rooms where they were then rescued and taken to a safe place for victim assistance. >> the traffickers are preying on youth with low self-esteem and minimum social support which is why there's this connection to welfare and youth runaway and homeless youth. >> reporter: some of the victims, girls ages 13 to 17, were lured from foster or group homes or were living at home, already victims of abuse, and those who prey on them know where to find them. >> they are coming from the malls in addition to schools. some of these predators know what to look for. they know the signs and symptoms of these young girls who may be isolated from a peer network or having problems. >> reporter: adults who exploit them can face tough punishment. some get 15 years in prison. a dozen or so have been sentenced to life. pete williams, nbc news at the fbi in washington. we reported on friday night

someone had defaced the lincoln memorial in washington by splattering green paint. since then, they have discovered other acts of vandalism on a public statue and on the pipe organ at the national cathedral. well, late today police in d.c. announced they have made an arrest in the cathedral vandalism. we don't yet know about the suspect or possible motive. still ahead for us on a monday night, an enormous tragedy on the water takes the life of a bride-to-be, leaves the groom severely injured and leads to a warning to all those headed out on boats at the height of the summer. and later, to catch a thief after $100 million-plus heist in paradise.

we are back tonight with a wake-up call on the potential hazards of boating right at the height of the season for going out on the water. this comes after two people were killed in an accident on the hudson river north of new york city, and it's bringing new attention to the issue of boating while under the influence.

our report tonight from nbc's katy tur. lindsey stewart and brian bond were set to marry in just two weeks, but friday night tragedy. the speed boat they were riding in slammed into a barge ejecting and skilling stewart and mark lennon, her fiance's best man. >> i don't think you can put words to the fact of what we need to do to console these families, and i don't know that you can. >> reporter: the groom-to-be and three other passengers were seriously injured. police say they have reason to believe their friend, 35-year-old jojo john, was driving the boat while intoxicated. john has now been charged with vehicular manslaughter and assault. a horrific accident but one the u.s. coast guard says is all too common across the country. last year there were more than 4,500 boating accidents resulting in 3,000 injuries and 651 deaths. in 17% of those fatalities, alcohol was a factor. last august maryland delegate donald dwyer jr. was three times

the legal limit when he crashed his boat injuring seven, including a 5-year-old girl. >> it doesn't matter how many drinks you have. even one is too many to safely operate a boat. it requires all of your skills, both mental and physical, to operate a boat out on the water. >> reporter: concerned about the danger, the coast guard and state boating officials have increased patrols to get those boating under the influence off the water, and during a recent nationwide sweep hundreds were arrested. back in piermont where the investigation continues, john who has a history of drug arrest, could be facing more charges. while some question whether the construction barges had enough lighting for boaters to safely navigate around them. lindsey stewart was just 30 years old. her funeral is now set for thursday in the same church she was supposed to be married in. katy tur, nbc news, piermont, new york. and we're back in a moment with a big anniversary for one of the most famous road trips of all time. [ male announcer ] how do you do a summer clearance the dodge way?

first wait till summer. then get the cars ready. now add the dodge part. ♪ ♪ the dodge summer clearance event. right now get 0% financing for up to 72 months and no payments for 90 days on all dodge vehicles.

♪ holiday road well, that theme music can only mean one thing, and that's vacation, and the "national lampoon" "vacation" movies turn 30 years old. for three decades clark w. has been an icon for all of us who strapped the luggage to the top of the car heading out to places like wally world and the world's largest ball of twine. with the family in the car and, of course, aunt edna on the roof. so here's to you, clark, russ, the whole gang. there's about to be a new retail giant. hudson's bay of canada which already owns lord & taylor is buying saks fifth avenue. according to the associated press, it's a $2.4 billion deal. by the way, hudson's bay is the oldest company in north america, founded as a fur pelt trader back in 1670. over this past weekend this nation lost one of its most decorated warriors, air force colonel bud day.

for starters he served in three wars, world war ii, korea and vietnam where he volunteered for duty. he was shot down over north vietnam, was wounded and captured, escaped and captured again. he was thrown in the hanoi hilton as a p.o.w. where he was tortured on and off for over five years. his cellmate for a time was a naval aviator named john mccain. he was a midwesterner through and through and proud of it. about his boyhood home on the plains he once told tom brokaw, if you wanted a warrior, this was the place to find him. foremost among his 50 combat medals bud day was awarded the medal of honor by president gerald ford. his death new leaves 78 recipients of the medal of honor. next week the president will award the medal to the newest recipient, a veteran of the war in afghanistan. william scranton has died, former governor, presidential candidate and u.s. ambassador. used to be referred to as a moderately liberal republican back when there was such a thing.

he ran as a goldwater alternative and lived outside the pennsylvania city that bears his family name. william scranton was 96. and we've lost a member of the nbc news family. herb kaplow has died. longtime viewers will remember his decades on the air. he covered the nuremburg trials, the cuban revolution, the civil rights movement, ten presidential elections. his career spanned from 1951 to 1994. herb kaplow was 86 years old. another break for us. up next, the hitchcock thriller that came to life. a huge heist amid all those rich people in a beautiful spot.

finally tonight, it's not supposed to be this easy. in the movies it's one thing, but in real life it's something else, walking into a famous hotel during a jewelry show, brandishing a gun and then walking out with over $130 million in jewels? but it happened in the south of france, and now the search is on all over for some very expensive, very shiny things. our report tonight from nbc's stephanie gosk. >> reporter: the scene of the crime, the carlton hotel, was made famous by hitchcock's "to catch a thief." >> even in this light i can tell

where your eyes are looking. >> reporter: now it's famous for a real life caper. french police say a single suspect disguised with hat and scarf pulled off this seemingly flawless heist in under a minute. in the middle of the day he snuck through french doors, pulled a handgun and held up three security guards, a manager and two jewellers. 72 pieces of jewelry in hand, he ran out the back. >> this crime was about as brazen as it gets. i mean, it's a guy coming in off the street, into a fancy hotel, holding a gun and just getting all these diamonds and getting out. >> reporter: diamonds are irresistible. >> that's where the money is. i mean, in a very small package you can get such a high value. you can get an extraordinary value. richard burton gave this diamond to wife elizabeth taylor and sold for $5 million back in 1978. a replica of the "titanic" diamond is worth more than $20 million. this one in queen elizabeth's crown is priceless. there's still no suspects in the

carlton hotel robbery, but just last week a jewel thief from the notorious pink panther gang was sprung from a swiss jail. this theft has many of the hallmarks of the smash-and-grab tactics that the pink panthers are known for making jewellers worldwide uneasy. we caught up with a few at a trade show in new york. >> i don't know who is going to buy these stones. >> reporter: one family has been at this business for four generations. ballpark just with this ring, this necklace, this necklace and that bracelet. >> you ran a tab of over half a million here. >> reporter: over half a million. the carlton hotel thieves escaped with much, much more. police are calling it the biggest jewelry heist in history. stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york. >> that's our broadcast on this monday night as we start off a new week. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. of course, we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night.

nbc bay area news starts now. and good evening. >> there's a notable change at sfo. the faa is taking action in the wake of the asiana crash. foreign pilots who land at sfo are being asked to do what u.s. pilots don't have to do. they are asked to use a gps system when landing. will this help? and is it fair? >> reporter: well, it's a good

question. i think over the last three weeks we have learned a lot about flying. you've learned all of the acronyms and a lot of the things that you and i are not used to knowing. but we are here live at the hayward airport. it's tots the difference between a gps landing and a visual landing. a visual landing is something that you see. a gps landing is something that is fed to us electronically. this is a flight instructor in hayward. >> this is more used as a solely piece of equipment. >> reporter: this is a gps. pilots use it all the time. >> as far as the map and screen part goes, it's really similar to ha you're looking at when you're driving in a car. >> reporter: the faa is urge being forei