on this sunday night, fighting back. usair power helps seal a victory over isis militants in one key iraqi town as proeb faces growing pressure to do more. plus, an american city that is a fertile recruiting ground for islamic extremists. out of balance. an nfl player arrested for domestic violence after the league announced tougher measures to combat the problem. then plastic bags, many towns already do it. now california is poised to become first state to ban plastic bags out of grocery stores. and kids and guns. after a deadly accident, can guns ever be safe in the hands of kids? why some say an early start is

key. good evening. today on the back of punishing usair strikes, iraqi security forces and shiite militias took back a besieged town from islamic state fighters. that victory came as the debate in washington reignited over whether the oeb administrat oeb is doing enough to defeat isis. they are spending millions of dollars a day in iraq. it is syria where isis is based and the president's cautious approach whether to carry the fight there is raising eyebrows even within his own party. kristen welker is at the white house to explain. hi, kristen. good evening. more lawmakers including some democrats are leaning on president obama after he said accident have a strategy for dealing with isis in sear yachlt

t syria. he is facing a major test. another airdrop of food and water by the u.s. and its allies today for sunnis living in more than iraq, besieged for six weeks by isis militants. over the weekend, the iraqi military shiite militia and kurdish forces broke that siege with the help of pinpoint u.s. air strikes. so fate obama administration launched 120 strikes throughout iraq since early august. they are launching awe policy against syria. >> this is a vicious, vicious movement. it has to be con fronted. >> dianne feinstein on "meet the press" today. >> i learned one thing about this president. and that is he's very cautious. >> feinstein said she even agreed with her republican colleagues, senators john mccain and lindsey graham. in a "new york times" op-ed, the senators call on the president to take military action against

isis in syria, writing, "continuing to con front isiis in iraq but no syria is fighting with one hand tide behind our back." but the president had his defend defenders of the deliberatetive approach he's facing. >> you don't rush in. >> there are fresh concerns today about westerners signing up to join isis after a 16-year-old suspected to reach syria to fight was arrested in france. >> hundreds are traveled and trained with them. >> as the president plans to travel to wales, the duel crisis of isis in syria and iraq are likely to cast long shadows over the allied conclave in decades. >> it's important to reassure nato that united states is going to provide the leadership

necessary. both ukraine as well as in syria. >> and out of libya today, there are reports that militiamen have overrun a residential annex there. and the embassy in tripoli. this youtube video which nbc news has not authenticated shows the men holding a pool party. now all u.s. personnel were, of course, evacuated from the embassy last month due to increase in violence in that country. the state department says it is still investigating this incident. lefter? >> kristen, thank you. as you noted, there is growing concern about recruitment of americans. here in this country perhaps nowhere is that concern greater than in minneapolis. we hear why now from nbc's ron allen. >> reporter: for years minneapolis has been a target for terrorist recruiters, seeking angry disillusioned young men. authorities say two dozen militants from minnesota have been linked to terror groups and now a handful have recently joined isis including douglas

macarthur killed in syria. a close friend of his, 28, was killed fighting with another militant group in somalia several years ago. >> just shock. and disbelief that he's not only that he's dead but everything behind it, you know, like, the syria stuff. it's not even believable. >> reporter: but in the neighborhood called little mowing deesh yoe where tens of thousands of people from somalia live, it's an all too familiar story. you lost your neff yew? >> yes. >> what happened? >> he was brainwashed. >> this man's nephew was 17. he was lured back to somalia in 2008. he died a year later fighting for the militant group plamd for atrocities like the nairobi mall attack last year. the recruiter's strongest tools are videos like these all over the internet. >> this is the best place to be. >> promising glory as a fighter. twisting the meaning of islam. because of poverty and isolation, he says, young people

are vulnerable. >> no jobs. >> jobs are little. >> reporter: they're recruiting sfwhim. >> the new frontier. >> the idea is to get young people away from all negative influences. >> reporter: this man says his nonprofit reached some 10,000 children in recent years starting with kindergarteners trying to keep them in school and on the right track. a constant up hill fight against the militants. >> they're recruiting by the day, by the hour, by the minute. >> reporter: federal authorities are investigating whether another fighter is from minnesota. a man who some in some community believe they know. ron allen, nbc news, minneapolis. the nfl's new and tougher policy on players involved with dples violence may get its first test after defensive end ray mcdonald the san francisco 49ers was arrested early today. we get the details from kristen dal gren. >> reporter: for 49ers fans, ray mcdonald has been a fixture on the field. but this was the defensive end this morning in a police mug

shot facing felony domestic violence charges. mcdonald was arrested just before 3:00 a.m. responding officers with the san jose police substantiated domestic violence charges. after posting $25,000 bail, mcdonald said this. >> crazy situation. >> the 49ers say we take such matters seriously as we continue to gather the facts, we will reserve further comment. the nfl tells us they are looking into it. the charges come just days after the league pledged tougher penalties for domestic violence. after criticism foray rice's two game suspension, for this february incident when rice was caught on tape dragging his then fiancee. >> there was a public explosion of sent sent. from female fans that without a doubt pressed the nfl to do something about this and they have. >> under the new policy, players

face a six-game suspension for favorite offense, a second will get them banished. but in thursday's memo, the nfl commissioner promised more severe discipline for aggravating circumstances such as when the act is committed against a pregnant woman or in front of a child. the nfl will now conduct a mandatory evaluation of the charges. >> they're going to look at the facts of each case individually stand ago lone. which is another waive saying we're going to come up with the best decision we can in each set of circumstances and one may not look anything like the other. >> reporter: in what could already be the first test of its tough new stance. kristen dal gren, nbc news, new york. all eyes on the racing world tonight around atlanta where nascar champion tony stewart returned to the track three weeks after he was involved in an accident that killed another driver. our report tonight from the race tonight. >> reporter: in practice lapse this weekend, tony stewart

racked up solid finishes. but tonight his fans hope the nascar legend will score a personal victory. >> you know, i can only imagine what he's going through and the ward family. you know what? he's a driver. he needs to do what he wants to do. and we're just glad he's back. >> reporter: on friday, stewart spoke publicly for the first time. >> this is one of the toughest tragedies i've ever had to deal with both professionally and personally. and this is something that will definitely affect my life forever. >> reporter: since he struck and killed a fellow driver, kevin ward jr. who climbed out of his car in a dirt track in upstate new york three weeks ago. a fan captured the collision on camera and posted it on youtube. no charges have been filed and the sheriff says the crash investigation will take at least another two weeks. >> i think it was definitely an accident. and i think he's kind of paid his dues and he'll pay them for the rest of his life. >> reporter: in the u.s., nascar has the most spectators per

event and the second most watched sport on television. the industry attracts more than $3 billion a year from corporate sponsors, bass pro shops said saturday they were proud to stand by stewart. >> every one of his sponsors is mondayori monitoring social media to gauge how people are reacting. >> online, critics bashed him for returning so quickly. one person tweeting, can't believe tony is being allowed to drive. rest in peace, kevin ward. but here the three time nascar champion has overwhelming support. george brooks was thrilled to get stewart's autograph. >> it's a nascar family. and any driver goes through something like that, they need support. >> reporter: stewart would need to win either tonight or next weekend in richmond, virginia, to have a shot at the championship. tonight's race is set to begin in less than an hour. lester? >> thank you. we're keeping a close watch on the weather tonight, especially some powerful storms in the middle of the country.

and in the northeast. there were downpours and heavy flooding in the new york city area. this was the scene this afternoon in the garden state parkway in new jersey. let's bring in nbc news meteorologist dylan dry wert la drier with the latest. >> they kicked up at 4:00. humid sti on the rise. we felt that in the eastern half of the country. that is setting the stage for the severe storms. we have tornado watches in red. we have severe thunderstorm watches and warnings in yellow. that's where we have the strongest storms right now. wind gusts have been up near 60 miles per hour. we've had golf ball sized hail in the northeast, again, it was right around 4:00 that those storms raced through new york. we saw about two inches of rainfall in just a short period of time. that creates that flash flooding. now we are going to see the storms fade away around 3:00 in the morning on monday. in the midwest. then they'll get a breakthrough the morning. then we'll see another round of storms fire up a little further to the south and east on labor day around 7:00 or so in the evening. and because of that, we have a

slight risk of severe storms from michigan right back into missouri. 70 mile-per-hour wind gusts are possible. while we could see some tornadoes, it doesn't look like we'll see as many as we're in the forecast today. lester? >> all right. thank you. california has taken a big step toward becoming the first state to ban the use of plastic bags in grocery stores. and now talking to jerry brown who has until the end of september to make a final decision. we get more on that story tonight from nbc's hally jackson. >> reporter: paper or plastic? soon californians may not have the choice. since the state legislature just approved a ban on single use plastic bags. >> i think it's not that bifg a deal to bring your own bag. it is a big waste. people don't recycle them necessarily. >> many cities in california already outlaw plastic bags. if governor jerry brown signs the bill into law, starting next summer, shoppers who forget to bring a bag will have to pay at least 10 cents at the grocery store'paper or reusable kind. >> what do you think of that? >> i think it's a bunch of

bologna. >> massachusetts and washington are also looking at bills to ban single use bags. and along with five other states are considering taxes or fees ranging from one to 15 cents per bag. >> the new scam would kill my job. >> and my job. >> but with ads like these, the plastic bag industry has fought hard against the california bill. the american progressive bag alliance saying this has never been about the environment. calling it a dirty deal to scam consumers out of billions of dollars. >> the plastic bags litter our streets. >> environmentalists are pushing for a broader ban for years. it took a new compromise to build enough support. plastic bag manufacturers will getted 2dz million for equipment and training to make reusable bags instead of the one off kind. >> hopefully the shift in the conversation away from producing products that we're only using for a maert of minutes. >> in a decision of what's disposable, california closer to

a permanent plan. hallie jackson, nbc news, los angeles. whether "nightly news" continues in the sunday, the renewed debate over kids and guns. we'll hear one father's argument that all children should be taught to handle and respect them.

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or else you'll wobble and your aim will go off course. >> reporter: andrew, 19. >> what do you think shooting teaches you? >> a lot of self-discipline, patience and just respect for other people. >> reporter: andrew competes nationally using an ar-15 rifle, modified for target shooting. he is an eagle scout, volunteers at his church and like most teens, loves playing video games. >> james follows in his big brother's footsteps. >> build your position. >> what do they say to you about that? >> that it's like not a toy. >> pretty good. pretty darn good. >> reporter: they're father russell introduced his boys to the sport so he could spend quality time mentoring them. >> you gain maturity and building on character, sportsmanship. >> reporter: it is precisely

because a gun can be a dangerous tool that russell believes all children should be taught how to handle and respect them. a sentiment echoed by usa shooting which along with the national rifle association and others has increased funding to attract the next generation. the firearms industry spends millions of dollars annually to provide youths with shooting education programs, better coaches, and improved ranges and equipment. >> everybody should at least have the opportunity. if they wish, to be exposed to that sport, participate in it, and pursue it. >> reporter: but some child psychologists caution many kids, especially those under the age of 20shgs may simply not be mature enough to handle guns. >> putting guns in the hands of children is an immense responsibility and there is a lot of dafrpger that can come by if it is not executed in an appropriate way. >> reporter: it's a real discipline. >> absolutely. it takes a lifetime. >> russell friend is committed to teaching his children and

other kids the obligations of gun ownership and use. >> there's definitely respect for the power of the rifle. and then will is the respect for your fellow shooters. the other people who are trying to do what you're trying to do. >> reporter: life skills he wants to ensure they grow up with. >> good. >> reporter: kevin tibbles, nbc news, kerry, illinois. and up next here tonight, we'll take you inside a sport that star sometimes really heavy hitters. i'm randy and i quit smoking with chantix. for 33 years i chose to keep smoking... ...because it was easier to smoke than it was to quit. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. it's a non-nicotine pill. chantix reduced the urge for me to smoke. it actually caught me by surprise. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious

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ton elephants. then they lumbered into action. three per team, steered by their keeper. behind them, perched the players from teams that included heavyweight outfits from city bank and mercedes. then a break for lunch. all are captive born working elephants. though are logging outlawed here, many beg on the streets. >> we look after them and feed them. >> they want to raise money for elephant charities including a new therapy to help children with autism. one competitor and donor, texas oil man, he wanted to show me the ropes. >> let's give it a go. >> rule number one, don't fall off. >> and they go in reverse. >> then there is the tricky task of actually hitting the ball. >> lock your eyes on the ball. you make it look very easy.

>> all right. they're such wonderful creatures. ♪ >> reporter: this tournament is a glamorous place to be scene. though the rainy season can be a challenge. but not for a team of former new zealand rugby players. but they only scraped a 1-0 victory against a team from a popular cabaret. and tend of a soggy weekend, a trophy for the champions. but a hope the real winners will be thailand's elephants. ian williams, nbc news, bangkok. when we come back, making a difference. the school that found its own way to make sure its students weren't hundre for over a decade,

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finally tonight, with the country facing a growing hunger problem, a recent survey found that one in seven americans depends on food assistance including 12 million children. as kids return to school this week, many teachers will find themselves dealing with the problem. tonight, chelsea clinton on how a school in new mexico is making a difference. >> we have ones, tens. >> reporter: it's hard to learn on an empty stomach. >> i have kids that come to school every day and they're hungry. they can't come in here and be at their best. >> reporter: marvin callahan has been an elementary schoolteacher for 20 years. and he sees hungry in classrooms getting worse. >> i ask every single child as they walk in, did you eat breakfa breakfast? and some say yes.

some of them will say no. >> reporter: like many educators across the country. >> do you want a snack? >> callahan and karen, the school counsellor. >> thank you. >> you're welcome, sweetie pie. you must be hungry. >> reporter: are filling the food gap. >> thank you for holding my hand even though it means you can't peel your orange until we get there. >> 60% of the students are given free or low cost lunches. for many, it's their last real meal of the day. >> when these kids go home, do they just find an empty pantry? >> empty pantries, empty refrigerators, empty stomachs. there are kids at school that are hungry. >> reporter: so callahan rallied his school to open a food pantry, stocked with groceries that teach enz and friends buy. >> we had what they have available. >> with their own money. >> all right tlachlt is yours. >> they're easing the burden for 25 families. >> i like that they're nice enough to actually help us and give us food. because me and my sister have a little trouble. >> being a single parent raising

my grandkids, i think this is awesome. >> reporter: callahan only wishes he could do more. >> children are hungry right here today. and they're going to be hungry tomorrow. and they're going to be hungry the day after that. >> but for rebecca, good samaritans like karen is helping her family get back on its feet. >> i was worried that you weren't going to have enough for the summer. >> i can come ask her for anything and she'll figure out a way to get it done. >> reporter: which makes this elementary school so much more than just a building with classrooms. >> you helped me in so many ways. >> your kids are my kids. whatever you need. >> chelsea clinton, nbc news, albuquerque, new mexico. that that's nbc "nightly news" for this sunday. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. for all of us here at nbc news, good night.

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