the news continues now with "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. can the federal government help pressure the washington redskins to change their name? on our broadcast tonight, under attack. extremists launch a major assault on the largest oil refinery in all of iraq, now shut down with oil prices on the rise. taking a hit. the feds go after the redskins where it hurts the most, money from team merchandise, as the controversy over the team's name takes a surprise turn. caught on camera. what this woman recorded on her phone that may have saved her life, and her message that has the power to save many more. and the heart of a champion. the american olympic gold medalist who has suffered a life-changing accident, and what she is saying she has learned about life since her injury. "nightly news" begins now.

good evening. it is getting worse tonight in iraq, a place where so many americans, of course, gave so much in a long war that is still today being fought over in this country. over there, this heavily armed and highly motivated group called isis continues its run from syria to the east across iraq. several major cities have fallen, as you may know. and as they near baghdad, they have delivered a strike that goes to the heart of iraq's post war economy. it's a fast-moving situation we're covering tonight. our chief foreign correspondent richard engel is back in iraq, having lived there for so many years covering the war. richard, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. just a few days ago, it looked like the isis militants would storm their way into baghdad. now that seems a lot less likely. but the militants appear to have a new strategy, to topple the iraqi government by crippling this country's infrastructure.

kurdish fighters battling isis militants just 90 miles from baghdad. overnight, the militants attacked the country's biggest oil refinery. the iraqi government claims it still controls the plant, but videos from the militants, unverified by nbc news, appear to show them setting parts of it on fire. iraqi security officials tell nbc news the militants may try to shut down baghdad's airport, firing mortars and rockets at the runways. at gas stations in northern iraq, there are already long lines. none yet in central baghdad. sadal hamdan, a lawyer, says he is more worried about car bombings. iraqi remember all too well the vicious civil war that tore this country apart just a few years ago. it was the american troop surge that kept it from spiraling completely out of control. this time the u.s. is keeping its distance.

general martin dempsey once ran the program to train iraqi troops. now he is chairman of the joint chiefs and is bitterly disappointed. he said today that two full iraqi army divisions ran from the fight. some commanders in collusion with the militants. >> in the absence of leaders of a military formation, the soldiers are not going to stick around and wait to see what happens. >> reporter: this video obtained by nbc's british partner itv news shows iraqi troops in mosul before their retreat. 30,000 strong, well armed, in control. 72 hours later, they abandoned iraq's second biggest city. an act of treason, iraq's prime minister said today, promising his generals would be punished for cowardice and failing the country in the face of just a few hundred extremists. the u.s. is already flying

reconnaissance flights over iraq, but seems reluctant to get more involved than that. iran, however, doesn't seem to share the same concerns. the iranian president saying today his country would not hesitate to protect holy shiite sites in this country. brian? >> richard engel back in baghdad, covering yet another conflict in iraq. richard, thanks. late today secretary of state john kerry weighed in on the subject of u.s. options under consideration for iraq. he did so in an exclusive interview with savannah guthrie. >> there are some senior officials quoted in various news counts today saying that air strikes are off the table, that the u.s. is no longer considering that. is that true? >> nothing is off the table. all options are still available to the president. the president has not made a decision on those options. we are very intensely vetting each of the possibilities. >> savannah's interview was conducted in washington. her full interview with the

secretary about this situation in iraq will air tomorrow morning on "today." at the white house today, the president held a meeting with congressional leaders in the oval office to talk about this crisis. as former vice president dick cheney unleashed a blistering criticism of this current president's foreign policy. our political director, chief white house correspondent chuck todd on the north lawn with more on all of it tonight. chuck, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. an important point regarding kerry. he is the strongest advocate by the way internally for a larger air strike effort. but i'm told military officials don't have the targets that would make a shock and awe style air attack feasible. instead the most likely option the president is considering is one he uses in yemen, small targeted drone strikes. meanwhile, as you know about chaney here in washington, much of the day was spent playing the iraq war blame game, should we have ever gone in, should we have stayed longer? and because of dick cheney, it escalated quickly. with his daughter liz by his side, former vice president dick

cheney went on the attack today on multiple platforms. >> the policies of the last six years have left america diminished and weakened. >> reporter: and in print, a blistering "wall street journal" op-ed trying to pin the blame for the current iraq chaos on president obama. writing, "rarely has awes president been so wrong about so much at the expense of so many." in his final day as white house press secretary, jay carney turned the chaney attack into a punch line. >> which president are we talking? >> reporter: chaney's criticism was all the more gauling to democrats because it came from someone who helded sell the war publicly under false pretensions under issues of weapons inspection which were never found. >> there is one thing this country does not need, it's that we should be taking advice from dick cheney on wars. >> reporter: but cheney wasn't alone. his 2008 republican opponent john mccain, a long-time champion of the iraq war, also got into the fray. >> the president's mishandling

of iraq for the past five years is consistent inaction on syria have now brought us to the verge of disaster. >> reporter: but while washington engages in this blame game, the president may have bigger problems with the public as he ponders what to do in iraq. ow nature nbc/"wall street journal" poll shows 57% disapprove of the job he is doing on foreign policy, a dubious record high for the president. and brian, as for when the president will unveil his plan publicly, i'm told they know they need to get something in place by the weekend. >> chuck todd, white house north lawn tonight. chuck, thanks. over at the pentagon, we learned new details today about the capture of the suspected ringleader in that attack on the u.s. diplomatic compound in benghazi. our own jim miklaszewski is reporting forces captured on a desolate stretch of desert after being tracked by an unmanned drone. when fbi agents closed in, he surrendered without a fight, was taken away in a small boat to a u.s. navy ship in the mediterranean.

more cleanup today in pilger, nebraska, where the two twin tornadoes swept through town, killing two people earlier this week, including a 5-year-old girl. then last night, another tornado causing damage to several pharmacy. but thankfully, no injuries. in the east, the first real heatwave of the season. temperatures in the 90s all along the midatlantic, including philadelphia, where they sent kids home early from school. then again there is the scene in northern montana, if you can believe it, where glacier national park has gotten up to 16 inches of snow since yesterday morning. leaving some folks snow-bound. here we are in the middle of june. the pressure just increased on the washington redskins to change their team name. starting with the fact that they may no longer have the exclusive use of their own name in the lucrative business of nfl merchandise. the u.s. patent and trademark office today canceled its protection of the team's name.

tonight from washington, nbc's kristen welker has more on what this all means. >> reporter: what's in a name? that's the question at the center of the ongoing controversy surrounding the 81-year-old washington redskins. today the u.s. patent office revoked the team's trademark, calling the name a racial slur in blatant violation of the prohibition against disparaging trademarks. the ruling doesn't prohibit the team from using the name redskins, but if it stands, it would allow others to use the name to sell merchandise. a victory for native americans who say the name should go, calling it just as racist as the "n" word. >> basic civility, respect, and moral decency would tell us and tell us that we should do the right thing. we should change this name. >> reporter: today the team said it would appeal and issued a statement. we are confident we will prevail once again, noting the trademark board reached a similar decision in 1999, which was ultimately overturned.

the question now, would losing trademark protection impact the team's bottom line? merchandise sales are split among all nfl teams. so the redskins may not see a significant drop in that revenue. >> the only way it really begins to affect the bottom line of the redskins is if major sponsors stood up, or if potential stadium backers stood up and said we won't be involved with this. >> reporter: meanwhile, political pressure has been mounting. 50 u.s. senators recently called on the team to change its name. >> it's racist. daniel sire says it's about tradition. i say what tradition? the tradition of racism? >> this is change i think really needs to be made. >> there is no malice intended by the use of the redskin name. do i agree with the decision? no. >> reporter: as fans and the courts consider whether this name is a racial slur or a tradition worth protecting. kristen welker, nbc news, washington. now to the sport most of the world calls football, the global

athletic event that is under way. visitors to the world cup in brazil survived a harrowing trip up a crowded stairway. at the top they turned around to record this video of the structure shaking and swaying as hundreds of fans climbed into a soccer venue. while doomsday predictions about brazil's soccer preparations have not come true, the world cup is in many ways a vast warm-up act for an even more vast gathering in two years. the summer olympic games. we get a status report tonight from nbc's bill neely. >> reporter: world cup fever has gripped rio. american fans ecstatic after the u.s. team's first win. but not everything here is going well. with protests over the cost of the cup and of the olympic games, an even bigger looming crisis. rio will host the next olympics, but the work has stalled.

at the main site, strikes mean construction is way behind schedule. olympic chiefs say preparations are the worst ever. at the second biggest site for eight sports, including equestrian, work hasn't even begun. on the bay where sailing and wind surf willing be held, a different problem. >> the bay, unfortunately, can just be described as a pool of sewage. it's frightening. >> reporter: the trash in the water led some olympic sailors to call it the worst place they have ever trained in. in your view, will this be clean in time for the olympics? >> no. no, it's not possible. >> reporter: it's not just sewage and trash. one brazilian olympic sailor says he has come across human corpses on four occasions in this bay. one olympic medalist says rio isn't taking this seriously. >> we cannot have an olympic medal decided by who gets the

less garbage. it would be a shame. >> reporter: rio's authorities admit delays, but insist everything, like the athlete village, will be ready. yet they're still battling to make the city safe using troops to fight drug gangs. brazil's authorities say these troops will stay on rio's streets for the next two years and during the games themselves. this is a battle that's not yet won. rio is struggling to deliver. it's been criticized by sports federations and warned by olympic chiefs. time isn't on its side. bill neely, nbc news, rio de janeiro. the selfie that may have saved a life. what this woman captured on her cell phone and her message for other women. and later, the teenaged stowaway who survived what many thought was an impossible flight. what he is now revealing about that astonishing journey. stirred it... mm-hmm. drowned it again... mm-hmm. and now just feel if it's cold. yeah. cool.

[camera shutter clicks] [whistling a tune] smokey just gave me a bear hug. i know. i already posted it. ♪ roundup has a sharp-shootin' wand ♪ ♪ just point and shoot, and weeds are gone ♪ ♪ 'round fences, trees, even mulched beds ♪ ♪ 'cause the only good weed is a weed that's dead ♪ ♪ roundup [ male announcer ] with a one-touch wand. [ whip cracks ] i'll help you look. maybe you left them in the bathroom again. it's just the strangest thing... the warning signs of alzheimer's disease, may be right in front of you. it's alright baby.

for help and information, call the alzheimer's association or visit alz.org/10signs ...i got lots of advice, but i needed information i could trust. unitedhealthcare's innovative, simple program helps moms stay on track with their doctors to get the right care and guidance. (anncr vo) that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. finally, the purple pill, the #1 prescribed acid blocking brand. comes without a prescription for frequent heartburn. get complete protection. nexium level protection. [ mathey can see the lightes. eof a single candle.. look after them with centrum silver. multivitamins for your eyes, heart and brain. centrum silver. for the most amazing parts of you. back now as promised with

this moment that was captured on a smartphone camera that is being reported on as a selfie diagnosis. it was shot by a woman who knew something was wrong with her own body. despite having been told by at least one doctor that it was just stress. but she knew something strange was happening. and when her symptoms suddenly appeared again, she grabbed her phone and recorded it. ended up making a powerful statement in the process. we get the story tonight from nbc's anne thompson. >> i don't know why this is happening to me. >> reporter: what would you do if doctors didn't believe you? >> so now i'm taking a picture for an example of what happens. >> reporter: stacey yepis took a selfie. >> it's all tingling on the left side. >> reporter: two days after being sent home from the er with what doctors said were stress-related symptoms, yepis took this video after she felt her face go numb again while driving. parked on the side of the road, she you'd her smartphone to show

what was going on. >> smile, they said. smile. >> reporter: you can see her mouth is clearly drooping. she tries to smile and can't. she is also having trouble with the left side of her body. >> my hand is hard to lift up. >> i just needed somebody to see what was happening. when i'm telling people this is happening and they're saying it's stress, i know this is not stress. >> reporter: with the help of the video, the doctors determined she had a mini stroke, also called a tia. in fact, they said she had three. the ontario, canada woman is just 48. >> things that we typically think of as an older age like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol is happening more and more often in younger people. so young patients can present with stroke. >> reporter: mini strokes occur when there is a temporary drop in the blood supply to the brain, depriving it of oxygen. the symptoms include weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, confusion, speech or vision difficulties, and sudden loss of balance.

jepis had several signs. today she is on medication and recovering. because she had the phenomenal presence of mind to use a device designed to save memories to help save her life. anne thompson, nbc news, new york. and speaking of portable technology, we're back in a moment with a new challenger to the iphone that will also buy groceries. thank ythank you for defendiyour sacrifice. and thank you for your bravery. thank you colonel. thank you daddy. military families are uniquely thankful for many things, the legacy of usaa auto insurance can be one of them. if you're a current or former military member or their family, get an auto insurance quote and see why 92% of our members plan to stay for life.

sfx: car unlock beep. vo: david's heart attack didn't come with a warning. today his doctor has him on a bayer aspirin regimen to help reduce the risk of another one. if you've had a heart attack be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. i'm j-e-f-f and i have copd. i'm l-i-s-a and i have copd, but i don't want my breathing problems to get in the way of hosting my book club. that's why i asked my doctor about b-r-e-o. once-daily breo ellipta helps increase airflow from the lungs

for a full 24 hours. and breo helps reduce symptom flare-ups that last several days and require oral steroids, antibiotics, or hospital stay. breo is not for asthma. breo contains a type of medicine that increases risk of death in people with asthma. it is not known if this risk is increased in copd. breo won't replace rescue inhalers for sudden copd symptoms and should not be used more than once a day. breo may increase your risk of pneumonia, thrush, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking breo. ask your doctor about b-r-e-o for copd. first prescription free at mybreo.com this is a map of the pressure points on my feet. i have flat feet. i learned where the stress was at the dr.scholl's foot mapping center. then i got my number, which matched the custom fit orthotic inserts with the right support. go to drscholls.com for locations and save $10 i'm a believer.

we have an update tonight on the condition of the former u.s. olympic swimmer amy van dyken. she is a six-time gold medalist, first female athlete in american history to win four gold medals at a single olympic games, atlanta in '96. then just over ten days ago, she was in a terrible atv accident which severed her spinal cord. after surgery to stabilize her condition, today she spoke with reporters for the first time. >> every day you take a breath is a blessing.

you know, i think sometimes we take it for granted. yes, this injury sucks. and yes things hurt. but i'm alive, and i'm still thankful to be alive. so that's why i can be positive about it, you know. it helps get me through the pain. >> amy van dyken in her hospital today. we have much more on her story on our website tonight, nbcnews.com. no one can believe he survived it, but there he was on that surveillance video on the tarmac dropping from the wheel well of a flight from san jose to hawaii. 15-year-old stowaway who made the journey back in april. well, he has given his first interview to a san francisco tv station. in addition to saying no one else should try what he did, he says he could look down upon the clouds and the ocean during his voyage. his hearing, damaged by the engine noise, is just now coming back. he withstood 50 below temperatures and very thin

oxygen. he was trying to go west to be with his mother in ethiopia. he has been living in a foster home ever since he was taken into custody in hawaii. amazon has sold smartphones for years. as of today, they now make one. they entered the crowded field with a new phone they call the fire. the new 3-d graphics adjust according to where you're tloong screen. it contains an advanced camera. and while tech types are still poring over it, the one thing it does very well is buy things from amazon. the phone debuts in july, has a starting price around $200. when we come back here tonight, our farewell to one of the heroes of d-day.

c'mon, you want heartburn? when your favorite food starts a fight, fight back fast, with tums. heartburn relief that neutralizes acid on contact. and goes to work in seconds. ♪ tum, tum tum tum... tums! so i can reach ally bank 24/7 but there are24/7branches? i'm sorry- i'm just really reluctant to try new things. really? what's wrong with trying new things? you feel that in your muscles? yeah...i do... drink water. it's a long story. well, not having branches lets us give you great rates and service. i'd like that. experience a new way to bank where no branches = great rates. ally bank. your money needs an ally.

legs, for crossing. feet...splashing. better things than the joint pain and swelling of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. if you're trying to manage your ra, now may be the time to ask about xeljanz. xeljanz (tofacitinib) is a small pill, not an injection or infusion, for adults with moderate to severe ra for whom methotrexate did not work well. xeljanz can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers have happened in patients taking xeljanz. don't start xeljanz if you have any infection, unless ok with your doctor. tears in the stomach or intestines, low blood cell counts and higher liver tests and cholesterol levels have happened. your doctor should perform blood tests before you start and while taking xeljanz, and routinely check certain liver tests. tell your doctor if you have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common, and if you have had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take,

and if you are pregnant, or plan to be. taken twice daily, xeljanz can reduce the joint pain and swelling of moderate to severe ra, even without methotrexate. ask if xeljanz is right for you. finally here tonight, we have a farewell to a guy a number of us came to know. we were just with him 12 days ago in normandy. 70 years ago when he was young, he parachuted into the french countryside as part of the u.s. army 508th parachute regiment. his name was jack schlegel, and we learned last night he died at the age of 90. this kind of thing is going to happen. we're losing our world war ii

vets at the rate of over 400 per day, and we're going to lose, sadly, all of the men we saw at that gathering for the 70th anniversary of d-day. it doesn't mean, however, we can't remember their stories and their bravery for all time. we get a look back at his life tonight from nbc's peter alexander. ♪ >> reporter: even among the old lions of d-day, paratrooper jack schlegel was as tough and unforgettable as they pngedd he landed in the small town of in flames. picoville, which in the decades since hasn't changed much. doesn't look any different than the day you landed? >> doesn't look a bit of difference. >> around town, schlegel was every bit the hero. >> i have not met one frenchman in normandy that didn't want to shake my hand sincerely. >> reporter: schlegel was part of a unit that ambushed german troops at this house, killing a top general. the road now bears his name, an honor he wished he could share. you wanted it chemin 508, after

the unit. >> so many men died, wounded, never got any type of medal. i get a little emotional. all my comrades that died in some of these action that they are not here to get the same type of honor. and it is very honoring for me to have all these people here, and they appreciate what the americans did. >> we appreciate you. >> thank you. >> reporter: schlegel was captured four times by the germans, escaping each time, but not before being tortured by the ss. but jack schlegel was unbreakable. unbreakable too the bond between schlegel and the people of normandy. peter alexander, nbc news. >> and that is our broadcast on a wednesday night. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night.

new couple alert. katy perry cause kissing rob pattinson. now on "extra." new pics. katy perry and rob pattinson's late night hookup. "extra" with breaking couples news today. melanie griffith erasing antonio banderas from her life.

police, the star planning a top secret wedding in the hamptons. the super model magazine nants of the world cup. meet the hot women behind the men. plus, the back eye situation. his first words about his tanning salon brawl. then, let the blood suckin begin. the true blood stars leaking spoilers about the final season and each other. >> i remember them when they were just hooking up. then the battle is on for hollywood's best beach body. plus, behind the scenes of beyonce's destiny's child