on our broadcast tonight, the punishment. alex rodriguez is hit with major league baseball's most severe penalty for an active player in almost 100 years. not that it's stopping him from taking the field tonight. intercepted. tonight the message we've learned was behind that huge terrorism alert for u.s. interests and embassies around the world. the rampage tonight. the driver who's accused of intentionally barrelling through a crowd of people on a boardwalk, killing a new bride on her honeymoon. and where's the beef? the first test of the first ever hamburger grown in a lab. no fat, nothing had to die, but what does it mean for the future of what we eat?" "nightly news" begins now.

good evening. it's the most sweeping punishment to hit major league baseball. the american pastime since the chicago black sox shoeless joe jackson scandal almost a century ago. 13 players have been swept up and punished for performance-enhancing drugs. and at the top of the list of those suspended, alex rodriguez of the new york yankees, a-rod, fifth all-time on the home run list, highest paid star in the game. he's different in this case as well. his suspension for 211 games, remainder of this season, all of the next, all for the use and possession of performance-enhancing drugs and allegedly acting to cover it up and hamper the investigation. but he's playing tonight in chicago because he's appealing the decision. he arrived there earlier today, the focal point of this largest single punishment in the modern era of the sport. just tonight before the game he spoke not about the charges but about returning to the game.

>> i am thrilled and humbled to have the opportunity to put on this uniform again. and to play major league baseball again. >> it's where we begin tonight. nbc's ron mott at the game in chicago. ron, good evening. >> reporter: hey, brian, good evening to you. it is opening day for alex rodriguez, his first game of the season after off-season hip surgery. really no matter how well he plays here tonight, his biggest hit will not come on the field. today yankee third baseman alex rodriguez was hit with a major league penalty, suspended without pay for the remainder of this season and all of next, potentially costing $35 million in lost salary. >> obviously disappointing with the news today, no question about it. but what we've always fought for is for the process. and i think we have that. and at some point we'll sit in front of an arbiter and give it our -- give our case. >> reporter: he's allowed to

play starting with his season opener tonight until his planned appeal is completed. >> i would characterize this as extremely harsh, both by baseball's past experiences with steroid users but baseball sending a message saying they really want to clean up this game. >> reporter: according to a leaked statement, rodriguez used prohibited performance-enhancing substances including testosterone and human growth hormone then tried to cover up his violations. commissioner bud selig said "performance-enhancing drugs will not be tolerated in our game", this as baseball also announced 50 game suspensions against a dozen other players tied to a new closed south florida clinic. while a-rod is the highest profile player in the suspension lineup, the loss of at least two others is expected to hurt more than just their bank accounts. jhonny peralta of the detroit tigers and nelson cruz of the texas rangers. both all-stars were considered key players in their team's drive for the playoffs and world series this fall. last month former national

league mvp ryan braun of milwaukee was suspended a season-ending 65 games. to sooth brewers fans they're getting $10 vouchers to those who show up this month, good for anything at the park. still, there's plenty of disappointment to go around. >> these players are cheating the game and they're cheating the other players that are trying to do it honestly. >> it's very unfortunate and it's negative and it's a wrong message we're sending to our kids. >> reporter: even down to the little leaguers dreaming big. >> even if like your trainer said or something, just here try it out, just don't do it. >> i'd rather be bad without drugs than good with drugs. >> reporter: now a-rod says he knows his appeal will be a distraction, but he says for the sake of the game he hopes the focus for the fans are on what he calls these great baseball stories as the pennant races begin to heat up. brian? >> they'll be dealing with rain at least initially in nothing else in chicago, along with a whole lot of attention. ron mott outside the game for us. ron, thanks.

to los angeles we go next. that's where bob costas is standing by. bob, for the folks watching tonight, maybe sports fans, maybe not, maybe they're parents of children who have role models. what are we witnessing here today? >> reporter: i think we're witnessing a positive turning point, even though this may be a bad episode in and of itself. there's obviously been a culture shift within the game. it used to be that the players association stood four square against even the most reasonable and sensible reforms in this area. now, although they will protect the legitimate interests of their members, and they will make sure that there's due process, they're actually cooperating with baseball in trying to clean the game up. and the vast majority of players are behind that as well, expressing open disgust with those who cheat. and many of them saying out loud they'd like to see stiffer penalties, including the possibility of allowing teams to void long-term contracts of those who are found to have used p.e.d.s. take for example a guy like ryan braun. he loses $3 million because of

his suspension, but he still has 100 million left on the . if it was a new rule that you could at the team's discretion void a long-term contract, that that would be a tremendous disincentive to p.e.d. use. >> bob, i'll leave it right there. i detected a note, a hint of optimism on an otherwise dark day for professional sports. bob costas in our l.a. news room tonight. thank you, my friend. there are rapidly developing developments tonight concerning a terrorism threat that led to a worldwide travel alert for americans and the closure of those u.s. outposts across the muslim world. it all began with an intercepted communication. our chief foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell has the latest from the state department tonight. andrea, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. it was a rare intercepted communication between the leader of al qaeda central in pakistan and his terrorist protege in yemen that set off immediate alarms from the president on down. now we know why the state department closed so many embassies and issued that

worldwide travel alert. the intercepted communication about a planned terror attack between al qaeda leader ayman al zawahiri in pakistan and the head of the group's terror wing in yemen. >> they're very careful about how they engage with each other. in the past that has indicated an attack is about to happen. >> reporter: no specific target but a date, august 4th, the holiest day of ramadan when the terror window would open. but for how long? hoping publicity would disrupt the plot, the white house went public. still scrambling for more intelligence, today the state department closed more diplomatic posts for the rest of the week while reopening the most fortified like baghdad and kabul. >> clearly, there is some very real threat information, but they don't know when, they don't know where, and they don't even know how. >> reporter: the u.s. has been targeting yemen's al qaeda branch with drone attacks, at least three in the last two weeks. because it is a source of recent

plots against the u.s. and its allies. the foiled underwear bomber on christmas of 2009, the cargo bomb plot in 2010, and the 2009 failed attempt to kill a rising saudi leader, mohammad bin nayev, a key u.s. intelligence ally, possibly a future king of saudi arabia. in that case, ibrahim al asiri, yemen's star bomb maker sent his brother to detonate a bomb on his own body. during the campaign for reelection, obama claimed success in the fight against terrorism. al qaeda branches like the one in yemen are still a threat. >> for that reason, we have to be continually vigilant and have been. >> reporter: the state department said today that recent prison breaks in iraq, pakistan and libya orchestrated by al qaeda releasing almost 2,000 prisoners are not related to this current threat but could be a real worry going forward in

coming months. brian? >> andrea mitchell following it at the state department for us tonight. andrea, thanks. we have learned some new information tonight about the awful story out of southern california where a man is accused of intentionally plowing his car through a crowd of tourists, killing a young woman on her honeymoon, injuring many others. it happened along a stretch of the venice beach boardwalk. it was like so much else these days, captured on video. and fair warning, it can be tough to watch. nbc's miguel almaguer has the report from venice beach. >> reporter: a man behind the wheel of a dodge avenger plowing through an unsuspecting crowd. a summer day suddenly turned into a nightmare along the famed venice boardwalk. >> we have a critical patient. we need a driver. >> reporter: those who had time leapt for safety. 17 people couldn't. witnesses say the driver targeted the crowd, accelerated as he plowed into people. >> we're never going to forget that moment. but i'm still thankful to god that we are still alive and surviving. >> reporter: 32-year-old alice

gruppioni, an italian national on her honeymoon, was killed. >> i saw a girl go over his roof. another girl ended up over there who passed away. >> reporter: gruppioni's husband suffered minor injuries. all but one of the victims have been released from the hospital. investigators say 38-year-old nathan campbell, a homeless man who was living in his car, turned himself in to police. detectives say he wanted to know how many people were injured. surveillance video shows the driver parking his car, possibly scouting the boardwalk, then speeding towards the crowd. >> he was booked for murder. and the reason he was booked for murder is based on the preliminary stuff that our investigators saw out there. they believe it was an intentional act. >> reporter: tonight, a growing memorial for the victims as police search for a motive for the bloodshed. miguel almaguer, nbc news, venice beach. jeff bezos, the man behind amazon.com, the man who changed the way america shopped and the

way a lot of americans read books, is getting into the news business. the news was so big it was announced on the ticker on the "washington post" building today. that's because the news was about the "washington post." bezos is buying the paper and related media properties for $250 million. the news came as a bombshell in a company town where it's personal. "the washington post" of watergate fame is a local paper owned by the graham family, and struggling like just about everything else printed on paper. it's part of a recent trend in which wealthy individuals are becoming the saviors in many cases of traditional mainstream and especially print media. many cases because they believe in quality work and a robust press. billionaire warren buffett has bought up several local papers. just days ago the co-owner of the boston red sox announced he's buying "the boston globe." bezos told the post staff late today he knows it will be a shock, but, quote, the values of the post do not neat changing. we will continue to follow the truth wherever it leads.

about two other media titans in the news. the standoff continues between time warner cable and cbs. and so the blackout continues, meaning cbs shows have been pulled off the cable system for four days now in the nation's two largest media markets, new york and l.a. among others. it affects about three million time warner cable customers. the dispute is over the amount cbs expects to be paid for its programming, part of the package that cable companies then turn around and charge to subscribers. both sides are playing hardball over price. still ahead for us on a monday night, it just might be the future of food, but would you eat a hamburger that was grown in a lab? will you have to decide that question before too long? and later, making a difference at an extraordinary summer camp giving brothers and sisters a chance to reunite.

it was five years in the making. tonight a team of scientists has unveiled what could be the

future of our food. a hamburger grown from the stem cells of cattle, cooked up in the lab instead of a kitchen. and the folks behind this say it's necessary because america's love affair with the hamburger has now spread across so much of the world and that's created a problem. we get our report on it tonight from nbc's keir simmons in london. >> reporter: people love hamburgers. we've been eating them for a long time. americans eat three hamburgers a week on average, nearly 50 billion burgers a year. but now the taste for burgers has gone global. and that's the problem. you need a lot of cattle to feed the world's growing appetite for beef. the solution may soon be a synthetic hamburger. >> going to approach this like a traditional burger. >> reporter: today in london, they proved meat made in the lab can be cooked and eaten. the recipe begins with stem cells from cattle. from one cell, 1 trillion more can be grown. layered together they create laboratory beef.

add beet juice, saffron, caramel and bread crumbs and a burger is born. but how does it taste? >> it wasn't bad. it wasn't great. you would not eat this naked. you need to have some more flavor, some salt, some ketchup, some pickles. >> reporter: and then there's the cost. $300,000 per patty. advocates including google cofounder sergey brin, the billionaire funding the work, say it's worth it because cattle produce methane that harms the environment and consumes so much it's unsustainable. >> the current meat production is at its maximum, and it's not going to supply sufficient meat for the growing demand in the coming 40 years. >> reporter: not everyone likes the idea. >> i think it's disgusting. >> reporter: so if those synthetic burgers are going to compete with the real thing, one of these, they'll have to taste just as good.

scientists say mass production is years away. so for now, this lab-grown beef is rare. but one day, we may all be eating it. keir simmons, nbc news, london. >> when we come back after a break, remembering one of the all-time greats among larger than life figures. [ male announcer ] at montrose pet hospital,

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a broadband solution to handle data and a mobility app to stay connected with their business. so they can run the office... even when they're not in the office. where do you want to take your business? call us. we can show you how at&t solutions can help you do what you do... even better. ♪ if you watched nbc news this weekend, you saw andrea mitchell's affectionate remembrance of a dear friend of ours. john palmer died over the weekend after a short illness. he was a fixture on these airwaves for the better part of 40 years, as a beloved member of the nbc news family as there ever was from the white house correspondent to "the today show." he served overseas, he covered five presidents, yet he remained a humble and grateful man proud to be from tennessee, devoted to his wife and daughters. our friend john palmer was 77. we learned last night art donovan has died.

as the "baltimore sun" put it, art donovan played pro football for 12 years. the rest of his life he spent telling everyone about it. donovan was born in the bronx, son of a famous boxing ref. he served in the marines in world war ii, came home and played football. he was a hall of fame defensive tackle who led the baltimore colts to two super bowls. a mountain of a man who was old school and didn't care much for the new school, and his fans loved him for it. art donovan was 89 years old. it was apparently a gustnado in coco beach, florida. not quite a tornado but quite a waterspout. it hoisted everyone's beach umbrellas up toward the threatening mary poppins-like sky on a sunday afternoon. it did some damage on the ground as well. the gustnado or whirlwind or microburst, whatever it was came and went quickly. happily, the shark seen blowing across the beach was just an inflatable. as you may have heard, kids

week on "jeopardy!" has been marred by controversy. 12-year-old thomas hurley correctly answered a question about the emancipation proclamation, but alex trebek said because he, quote, misspelled it badly and the judges then agreed, he lost second place and his $3,000 wager. many fans were crushed on his behalf. it was tough to watch. "jeopardy" has defended itself saying in effect "rules are rules". jetblue made its bones as an all-coach airline, stylish but simple with one class of service. now after 13 years in the air it's getting fancy, at least in the front of the plane. starting next year they're adding a premium class with live flat seat pods on the big transcon routes linking new york, l.a. and san francisco. red eye passengers up front will now have a way to sleep rather than upright. when we come back here tonight, a very special "making a difference" report for you this evening.

our final story tonight involves some of the roughly 400,000 children in our country living in foster care in a system where nearly half of those with siblings are separated from at least one of them.

but for one week this summer, some of those kids are getting the chance to get back together with their siblings. it's at a special camp that is making a difference. our national correspondent kate snow has the story tonight from southern california. >> reporter: it's the first day of summer camp. counselors welcome the campers. and for miguel josiz, a special greeting from the older sisters he hasn't seen in months. >> give me a hug. >> reporter: this is camp to belong, where brothers and sisters separated from each other in foster care reunite. >> it's fun to spend time together. we haven't seen each other in a long time. >> this camp is based on siblings which i absolutely love and adore. >> there you go. >> reporter: vincent, j.p. and asia are three of seven siblings. the boys are in one foster home, their little sister in another across town. >> this is the only camp i've

heard of where we get to like do stuff with our brothers and sisters. >> reporter: for one week, they share bunks with kids in similar situations. the zip line is a camp favorite. >> they're going fast. >> reporter: sister and brother cross the ravine, holding hands. >> ready to go again? 3, 2, 1, zipping! miguel beats me every time. >> high five. >> so over 17 years you've had how many kids come through the camp? >> almost 7500. >> reporter: founder lynn price was separated from her older sister in foster care. she wants these kids to have what she missed. >> they get to wake up in the morning and have breakfast together. they get to do activities together where they cheer each other on. >> ready, set, go. >> they compete with each other. >> they compete with each other. that's part of the sibling connection. >> reporter: camp to belong has programs in nine states, run almost exclusively on volunteer power.

since many of the siblings can't spend their birthdays together, they celebrate here, picking out the perfect donated gift, wrapping it up, decorating a cake, opening the presents together. and making a wish. one week of memories to last a lifetime. kate snow, nbc news, orange, california. >> that is our broadcast on a monday night as we start a new week. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. lester holt will be here with you tomorrow night. and truth be told for awhile after that, while i undergo some routine maintenance, basic repairs and switch out some parts. i will see you back here before long, equipped with the newest factory-produced right knee at all the networks. i'll be at home watching tv way too much, and i'll be in touch. so for all of us here, good

night. good evening and thanks for joining us. i'm raj mathai. new at 6:00, san jose is sweetening the pots for businesses. we are live in downtown san jose where city leaders are calling this offer an investment. damian in? >> reporter: well, it's a good chunk of change for anyone who wants to set up shop in the

downtown area. thousands of dollars worth. the program kicked off today. it's a welcomed incentive. he's seen the many ups and downs in downtown san jose. they've been selling other mds at the same store for 28 years. as good as his apparel might be, he says this business model struggles because of the next door neighbor. the property has been vacant since the two nightclubs closed down a couple of years ago. yeah, a lot of people are around here? >> you have faith in downtown? >> yeah. >> if city says the local economy has rebounded and it's time to fill the vacancies. >> we want to take empty store