movie about finding them. >> nbc nightly news is next. we'll have more local news at 6:00. including an update on the plane crash. >> see you then.

okay, look. if i'm walking in and i see the six of them. >>

. it's going a little on the slow side. tonight we have the first confirmed tornado fatality from this multi-day event. an 1-month-old who died in that north carolina tornado on friday night. >> janet shamlian starting us off, thanks. the highest storm risk tonight is in arkansas. weather channel meteorologist mike seidel is in little rock tonight. mike, what does it look like there? >> hey, lester, first, let's go back to that picture you showed us earlier. a live picture from stromsburg, nebraska. this is west of the omaha area. potentially, a rain-wrapped tornado. we had a tornado down earlier. there have been reports of damage. meanwhile back in little rock, the atmosphere has changed. we're now in the 70s. we're the warm sector of the storm. the warm sector typically the most prone to tornados spinning up. also, for the first time this season, the storm prediction center has put an area under a high risk, including parts of

arkansas. we're under a tornado watch. this is a pds tornado watch, meaning a particularly dangerous situation. that is until 11:00 tonight. and unfortunately, as the sun goes down, the tornadoes become even more dangerous because people go to bed and they miss the warnings and you can't see them coming. and over the past hour now, two tornado warnings, the first two of the day have been issued for arkansas, north and west of here in little rock. lester? >> mike seidel, thanks. weather channel meteorologist jim cantore is inside the noaa storm prediction center in norman, oklahoma. what are the next 24 hours look like, jim? >> yeah, lester, the worst of the storms coming in now as the sun is going down. and unfortunately, they are going to be tornado producers throughout the night tonight. a large area, as you can see, that will still be dealing with these severe thunderstorms. large hail, gusty winds, damaging winds in fact, and even tornadoes all the way down into the states of mississippi and into middle tennessee. so a huge concern in addition to the flood risk. a lot of storms have been sitting over places like memphis all day long. we move into monday. cities like birmingham, huntsville, jacksonville and also meridian, mississippi, are facing a similar tornado threat.

so a two-day threat for some of these areas. and the storm that is helping to aid these thunderstorms really is not going to move all that much. so look what happens by tuesday. some of the same areas once again under the gun for tornadoes. so it's not only birmingham, jackson, mississippi, but also atlanta, charlotte, and tallahassee. so what has started out as a very slow year in terms of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes specifically has really ramped up. we'll be under the gun until at least wednesday. >> and we'll be watching. jim cantore, thanks. there is new fallout tonight involving those disparaging comments about african americans allegedly made by the owner of the los angeles clippers basketball team. more of what was said in that conversation has now emerged. we get the latest from nbc's joe fryer in oakland, california, where the clippers made a play-off appearance this afternoon. joe? >> reporter: good evening, lester. in the wake of this controversy, clippers owner donald sterling did not show up at the arena today as his team loses a tough

play-off game. heading into the game, it wasn't clear how the controversy would impact players. some of the clippers made a silent but powerful statement by removing their branded warm-ups and leaving them center court, wearing their gear inside out. >> this is so individual that there will be certain players that will be great and there will be certain players that have been thinking about this all night, and they can't function. >> please don't think it's just the clippers that have been affected by these comments. i think it has affected us all. >> reporter: deadspin.com has posted what it says is an extended version of the audio tmz sports first posted. both websites say it's an argument between clippers owner donald sterling and then girlfriend v. stiviano after she posted a picture with magic johnson to instagram. the recordings have not been verified by nbc news. >> if you don't feel, don't come to my games and don't bring black people and don't come. >> you know you have a whole team that is black that plays for you. >> you just -- do i know? i support them and give them

food and clothes and cars and houses. who gives it to them? does someone else give it to them? do i know what i have -- who makes the game? do i make the game or do they make the game? >> reporter: magic johnson talked about sterling during the abc sports countdown show. >> he thunt shouldn't own a team anymore. and he should stand up and say i don't want to own a team anymore. >> reporter: the nba is promising a quick investigation, adding it's too early to discuss possible sanctions. >> it would be, you know, unwise of me and improper, frankly, to express a view as to what the ultimate outcome of any investigation would take us to. >> reporter: while touring asia, president obama called the reported statements incredibly offensive and racist. >> they kind of speak for themselves. when ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don't really have to do anything, you just let them talk. >> reporter: in response to the tmz audio, the clippers president released a statement saying, quote, we do not know if

it is legitimate or it has been altered, adding that sterling feels terrible that such sentiments are being attributed to him and apologizes to anyone who might have been hurt by them. sterling was due to receive a second lifetime achievement award from the naacp next month for his work with underprivileged youth. but on "meet the press" today, the naacp interim president said that won't happen. >> if you're silent about this, then you're accepting this. and people have got to say that this is not good and do something about it. >> reporter: the attorney for stiviano, the woman in the recording said today that the audio is legitimate, but that she did not give it to the media. she is actually being sued right now by sterling's wife. lester? >> joe fryer in oakland, thank you. we turn overseas now to the unfolding crisis in ukraine as the u.s. and other western countries prepare to impose new sanctions on russia as early as tomorrow. eight foreign observers being

held for three days by pro-russian militants suddenly appeared at a news conference today. our report from nbc's jim maceda in ukraine. >> reporter: they look like prisoners of war, but these were envoys of peace, eight military observers from the osce abducted on friday and paraded today under armed guard. >> we have no indication when we will be sent home to our countries and to see our families. >> reporter: one hostage was freed for medical reasons, but the rest have become the latest weapon in the insurgents' arsenal. "the key of junta," he said, "is holding a number of our allies. so if possible, we're ready for an exchange." flexing their muscles, militants in donetsk tried to commandeer the local tv station and force it to broadcast a russian channel. the militants left when engineers convinced them it couldn't be done. both sides, pro-russian and

pro-ukraine forces preparing for war. at this border crossing, ukrainian soldiers make sandbags to beef up their defensive positions. this would be a main route to invade from russia just 600 yards away. if russian troops do try to penetrate this border, these ukrainian soldiers tell me they're under orders to fire at the russians, and they say they'll do so proudly. but the military buildup is frightening villagers here like svetlana who says she only wants peace. "i don't want to see a war," she said. "my mother saw a war and my grandfather died in one." a world away, president obama ending his visit to malaysia today claims russia hasn't lifted a finger to prevent a war in ukraine. >> in fact, there is strong evidence that they've been encouraging the kinds of activities that have been taking place in eastern southern ukraine. >> reporter: a standoff that has paralyzed the region and has the

world on edge. jim maceda, nbc news, donetsk. off the coast of south korea, strong waves and fast currents hampered the recovery effort for a second day at the site of that ferry disaster with 115 people still missing. meanwhile, south korea's prime minister, the number two government official resigned today and apologized to the south korean people. the president accepted his resignation, but asked him to stay on until the rescue is completed. more than three-quarters of a million people witnessed history being made at the vatican today as two of the most influential popes of the 20th century were proclaimed saints by pope friend sis. nbc's anne thompson is there for us. >> reporter: good evening, lester. today's focus was on the two new saints be. the underlying theme was unity, highlighting common ground for today's church leaders and those of the past. ♪

for faith already rich in symbolism, this was a historic day. two living popes, francis and benedict, celebrating mass to proclaim popes john xxiii and john paul ii saints. before dawn, thousands rushed to get standing room only spots. many of these people have been up all night, trying unsuccessfully to sleep on rome's cold cobblestones. now all they want is a little bit of space and a vantage point. invited guests had tickets, blue for priests. so what does the blue ticket get you? >> i don't have to wait in the huge crowd. >> reporter: red for nuns and lay people. >> it means that you can be quite close to sanctity. >> reporter: most were far from the altar. the half million people at the vatican stretched down to the tiber river, while another 300,000 watched on giant tv screens around rome. in his sermon, pope francis

sought to recharacterize these two popes embraced by different factions of the the church calling john the pope of openness to the holy spirit, and john paul the pope of the family. >> i think pope francis was underscoring his sense of his own continuity with these two great predecessors. >> reporter: in the crowd there was a clear favorite. the polish people came in huge numbers to support their native son, john paul. cardinal adam maida, a first generation polish-american, and the archbishop emeritus of detroit, knew john paul for 30 years. >> i now have a good friend sitting at the table with the lord and perhaps discussing some of the things we're talking about. >> reporter: after mass these friends from garfield, new jersey had an impromptu picnic on the cobblestones, savoring the moment. >> to see a person in our lifetime that we grew up with who was a wonderful man do such great things and become a saint is very important. >> reporter: saints once just figures in history books today became very real.

now, while the poles appeared to have the largest group of pilgrims, this was an international event with delegations from over 100 countries attending, including the united states. lester? >> anne thompson in rome tonight, thank you. when "nbc nightly news" continues on this sunday, built for success. women who are finding real satisfaction at work on their own terms. and later, celebrating four decades of frustration. what is it about the rubik's cube that makes it so endearing and enduring?

we're back now with our series on small businesses. and tonight we take a look at how a growing number of women are making one of the biggest moves of their lives, venturing out on their own to have the kind of lives they want. nbc's kristen welker has our report. >> reporter: judy masucci calls herself a workaholic, but says there is nothing more important than her job as a mom. before her son javon was born eight years ago, judy regularly logged 14-hour days at a biotech firm in pittsburgh. but then after his birth, everything changed, and judy says her bosses weren't supportive. >> they didn't understand why i came in later. they didn't understand why i had to leave earlier. and they didn't understand why i had to have my door closed so i could pump my milk for my son. >> reporter: judy quit her job to do what more and more american women are choosing to do, leaving corporate america to start their own business. judy opened this boutique which caters to new moms.

studies show that women-led ventures are one of the fastest growing types of small businesses in the country, up more than 60% since 1997. economists say there are a number of reasons for the spike. the recession, which led to lost jobs and forced many women to get creative, advances in technology, and more companies offering finance plans targeted at women. >> there are women helping women, providing access and advice in terms of how do you get this loan, how do you leverage your credit card. there are many women's groups that are devoted to small business development alone. >> reporter: still, the numbers show women-owned businesses remain relatively small in size compared to those in the larger economy. the companies typically pull in less than a million dollars, contributing just under 4% of revenue. while judy plans to expand, right now she is focused on being the type of boss she didn't have to her two employees who are also moms. >> i just -- i love it so much. i mean, working for judy, another mom, she gets it. >> reporter: judy admits it's

not easy, but says she has no regrets. >> i think i'll always be a workaholic. but now i work when it's convenient for me. >> reporter: a growing number of women leading the charge at work and in life. kristen welker, nbc news, pittsburgh. we're back in a moment with a dramatic view from above after a house explodes.

things turned a bit personal and emotional for president obama today in malaysia. during a town hall meeting with college students, the president was asked what he regrets now about things he should have done in the past. >> not having spent more time with my mother, because she died early. she got cancer. and right around when she was my age, actually. she was just a year older than i am now. she died. it happened very fast, in about six months.

>> and he told the students for those who have not called their parents lately, that is something he regretted not doing. from illinois tonight, this was the view from above after an explosion destroyed a house and damaged about 50 others in a chicago suburb. it came from a camera on a drone set up by a witness to the explosion. no one was hurt. the cause is under investigation. officials do say a gas company was in the area at the time investigating a possible leak. and in florida this weekend, a private jet wound up in a pond after apparently touching down a bit too far down the runway and going off the end in port orange near daytona beach. three passengers were able to escape without injury. the plane had to be towed out of the water. up next here tonight, still in the game after 40 years of bringing success and many more setbacks.

when you hold it, so compact, so symmetrical, it doesn't seem like it would be so hard to solve. but still, we try. 40 years after it was first introduced, it would go on to become the most popular puzzle of all time. nbc's kristen dahlgren tonight on the twisted pleasures of rubik's cube. >> it is a sort of puzzle called rubik cube, hugely popular, selling in the millions. and if you let it, it will drive you crazy. >> reporter: there was a time it was everywhere. >> the idea is to get it back like this. i can only do it with two of them because i can't get this one back to this original state. >> reporter: but if you think the rubik's cube lost its luster somewhere in the mid-'80s -- >> go!

>> reporter: -- meet anthony brooks. a modern day speed cuber, he can complete a cube in less than ten seconds. brooks is one of thousands celebrating the cube's 40th birthday at a new exhibit at new jersey's liberty science center. for the rest of us, the cube is still fascinatingly frustrating. >> almost. almost. >> painful. >> reporter: there are 43 quintillion ways to twist it and just one solution. paul hoffman teamed up with google for the icon worthy exhibit. >> i think there is something in the human condition that we want to restore order to chaos, that we like patterns. >> reporter: there is q-bart, an 18-karat golden encrusted cube. even a robot who will solve the puzzle in 20 steps or less and then rub it in a little. >> oh, it's taunting us! >> reporter: the cube was born in 1974 in the imagination of this man, erno rubik. >> you never call it the rubik's cube? >> no, no, no. that's my cube.

>> reporter: at first, a grouping of wooden blocks created as a teaching tool for his students. some 40 toymakers turned him away. he has now sold 350 million. count illegal knockoffs and that number is over a billion. ten million are still sold every year. >> it's fun. i like moving my fingers quickly. >> reporter: creating a new generation of cubers and ensuring the classic toy won't stop turning any time soon. kristen dahlgren, nbc news, jersey city, new jersey. >> and i'm done! that's "nbc nightly news" for this sunday. not really. brian williams will be here tomorrow. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. for all of us here at nbc news, good night.

. nbc bay area begins with breaking news. >> breaking news, two small planes collide north of the richmond san rafeal bridge. an intense going on right now. >> search crews are looking for survivors after the planes crashed in the north bay. here's what we know right now. it happened around 4:00 this afternoon. about a mile north of the brothers island. that's near the richmond san rafeal bridge. the coast guard says one of the planes was able to land at a nearby airport. another landed or crashed in san pablo bay. the coast guard boat aes helicopter are trying to find people but so far only found debris not any survivors. nb