on the broadcast tonight, crackdown. tonight, a growing dilemma for america as the violence and killing get worse in syria. what should the u.s. do? rampage in seattle. the search for a killer who opened fire in a cafe, the latest on this developing story. security breach. how did a man just out of prison skip security and walk onto an airplane without a ticket? getting carded. with the cost of college already sky high, millions of students are getting pushed into payment cards with big fees most don't even know about. and wonder kid. how do you spell success? the little girl who stole the show today at the national spelling bee. "nightly news" begins now.

good evening. i'm lester holt, in for brian tonight. amid the international outcry over the massacre of over 100 villagers in syria last week, u.n. observers today reported the apparent mass execute of another 13 people in another part of the country. their bodies found bound and blindfolded. with the situation inside syria tumbling out of control and growing fears of an all-out civil war, the obama administration today moved to tighten the economic screws on the assad government while casting doubt on the prospect of a negotiated peace. how far can and will the u.s. go to end the violence? tonight at least one option, arming the rebels, has been taken off the table. nbc's andrea mitchell is following developments from our washington newsroom this evening. good evenening. >> as more atrocities occur each

day, the obama administration today imposed new sanctions on syria but said arming the rebels would only create a wider war. another atrocity uncovered today. 13 bodies, hands bound, found in a village far from hula. and for the first time, the u.n. and the red crescent led reporters into no man's land to witness the horrific remains of friday's hula massacre. we won't show you all of what they saw. women with their faces slashed, children with their eyes gouged. they chant, we'll cut assad's throat, claiming the killers who ravaged this predominantly sunni village were neighboring shiites. some actually wearing the slogan with the assad regime's aloite sect. >> we're writing on their foreheads. >> in the face of this horror, critic's called kofi annan's diplomacy feckless. there's no sign assad will give up power and the rebels are

responsible for hula. >> those who committed the crime, they did it on purpose to ignite civil war. >> syria is still getting money and weapons from vladimir putin pfsz russia which again today blamed the opposition. >> armed groups of opposition continue to take every opportunity to get at government representatives, killing them. >> in the face of all this, mitt romney argues the u.s. should help the rebels. but doesn't say how. >> the world looks to america to lead. and we have been sitting in the back burner hoping things would become arranged in a way that was attractive to the world, but frankly what is happening in syria is unacceptable. >> others including john mccain say the u.s. should arm the rebels, but the white house believes the only real options are to squeeze assad economically and diplomat atticly. for those advocating arming the opposition, they ought to consider the conquences of the approach and ask who are they

arming inside the syrian opposition. you know and we know it's not a unified opposition. it's fragmented, they don't have comment command in control. there are some extremist elements mixed in there. >> in fact, today, the administration ramped up the criticism saying iran is helping syria and helping the militias. white house officials say that the president is not considering military action and still hopes he can change vladimir putin's mind about syria when the two men meet at a sutm next month. now to a story still developing tonight in seattle today, six people were shot in two separate shootings leaving four dead. last night, we reported on the explosion of gun violence in chicago, which has long battled gang violence, but this evening, authorities in seattle are ing of apparently unrelated shoot g shootings in the last few weeks. we get details from mike taibbi. >> police say there's no at pre two incidents are related.

an afternoon shooting that took the life of a woman as she stood near her car in a parking lot near seeltd's city hall following a burst of morning gun fire in a coffee shop just north of the city center. in that shooting, three dead and one wounded, one critically, no clear reason why and the suspect on the run. >> we don't have a good idea of where he might be so we're telling neighbors in the area to please be extra cautious, keep your doors locked, keep your windows locked. >> i'm in total disbelief and shock. >> today's shootings are just the latest incidents involving gun fire in a major city that despite a gang problem has been a pretty safe city to live. last year, there were 20 murders in seattle, this year, 19 already, and police say the memorial day weekend was marred by at least 50 rounds of gun fire leading to today's carnage. last week, a man named justin was shot dead by a stray bullet as he drove his family home from the airport.

last month, a culinary student named nicole westbrook was killed by a single stray shot as she walked home with her boyfriend. it's become a political issue in seattle with demands that the issue of gun violence be faced for what it is. >> this is the number one public health issue we have. right now, and it's only going to get worse. >> in the university neighborhood where the coffee shop shooting took place, shops were locked tight or shut down for the day. a see on edge. >> homicide so evil and hideous because it happens at any given time. >> in today's shooting, no suspects or solutions at hand. mike tie ebi, nbc news, los angeles. a 747 cargo jet clipped the tail of a small commuter plane at chicago's o'hare airport today. the american eagle regional jet was heading toward its gate when a wing tip of a taxiing freighter struckller pla plane's tail. none of the 18 passengers on the flight were injured. >> there was a scare of a

different type at san diego's airport. a man out of prison on parole manged to board an american airlines flight without a ticket. how could it happen? here is n brk bc's miguel almaguer. the united airlines commuter jet, san diego to los angeles, was moments from takeoff. the flight attendant counted the passengers, there was one too many. one man boarded without a ticket and never went through airport security. >> he just got out of jail yesterday, was on parole, and he told the officer all he wanted to do was go home. >> they say the suspect walked through baggage claim and pushed open this emergency door that leads directly to the tarmac where he plented in with passengers who were boarding. though the suspect in san diego never went through a tsa checkpoint like this one, the recent report said breaches big and small happen at airports all across the country. the department of homeland security inspector general said on average there are seven

security breaches a day. >> how in the world does this kind of stuff happen at an airport? airports are secure facilities. >> just this morning in st. louis, a major terminal was temporarily shut down for 30 minutes after a passenger left security before completing the screening process. two years ago at newark airport, passengers were stuck for six hours after a man ducked past security to kiss his girlfriend good-bye. >> someone pushing open an emergency exit door in an apt accidentally or on purpose is considered a breach. i think the bottom line is travelers are pretty safe. >> earlier this month on capitol hill, tsa officials were questioned whether the agency has adequately addressed security mistakes. >> the fact is a breach is a breach. >> the tsa points out with nearly 2 million people flying every day, the number of breaches is relatively small. meanwhile tonight, the parolee in san diego who tried to sneak on a plane is charged with trespassing and is back in jail.

migale gel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. we have been reporting on a massive fire burning out of control in new mexico's gila national forest. today, it became the biggest wildfire in the state's history consuming more than 170,000 acres. it's burning in a remote area and not threatening people, but the rugged terrain makes it hard for the 1200 firefighters working on it. back overseas to the middle east and while the world's attention has been focused on syria, israel remains focused on the continuing threat posed by iran's nuclear program. the israeli defense minter made that point repeatedly to our richard engle. richard now has this report from tel aviv and the exclusive interview. >> good evening, lester. here in israel, the threat of iran's nuclear program is still as immediate as ever. the possibility of an israeli strike is still on the table. i sat down with the man in charge of israel's military who called current negotiations with

iran, quote, a ritual in self delusion. israel is breaking its silence on iran's nuclear talks held with world powers in baghdad this month. >> i'm not sure that they're serious about it. >> the defense minter said iran is just buying time, that it's still working toward a nuclear weapon, and israel won't stand for it. >> we're committed to do whatever it takes to prevent iran from turning into a military power. a nuclear weapon. >> u.s. military officials have said they oppose an attack on iran, too provocative and unpredictable, but he said an israeli strike is still on the table. >> at what stage does israel deci decide, when does israel decide they can't live with this. >> we'll call you for an interview. you don't expect me to give you a date or time, and we all hope that it will be solved through sanctions or diplomacy.

we would be happy to wake up and see that it was over like a bad dream, but it probably won't happen and a decision will have to be made. let's assume they will be made. >> by israel? >> we expect the whole world. >> iran claims it's negotiating in good faith, that it doesn't want nuclear weapons, but the u.n.'s nuclear watch dog said iran has increased its stock pile of high great uranium by nearly a third in the last three months. >> whoever thinks dealing with iran is tough right now should close its eyes and think what will happen in four or five years when we have to deal with a nuclear iran. with the consequences. >> the next round of iran talks is scheduled to take place in moscow next month. but clearly, this country has lost confidence in the process. lester. >> richard engle in tel aviv tonight.

also tonight, former liberian president charles taylor has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for what the international court described as some of the most brutal war crimes in history. using so-called blood diamonds to fund rebels from sierra leone, murder, rape, and torture thousands of people in that nation's civil war. myanmar opposition leader aung sun suu kyi getting a hero's welcome in tiland today. last time she traveled outside the border was 1988. she was afraid the government would not allow her to come back. this, her first trip abroad in almost 25 years, will test whether the government of myanmar is really serious about reform. and south africa's legendary former president nelson mandela made a rare public appearance today to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of the african national congress. a party that helped bring an end to apartheid. mandela turns 94 this july. still ahead as "nightly news" continues, what millions

of college students don't know about their debit cards may be costing them a bundle. >> and later, rediscovering what may be the most famous family feud of all time. amous family feud of all time. really? 25 grams of protein. what do we have? all four of us, together? 24. he's low fat, too, and has 5 grams of sugars. i'll believe it when i--- [ both ] oooooh... what's shakin'? [ female announcer ] as you get older, protein is an important part of staying active and strong. ensure high protein... fifty percent of your daily value of protein. low fat and five grams of sugars. see? he's a good egg. [ major nutrition ] ensure high protein... ensure! nutrition in charge! fight both fast with new tums freshers! concentrated relief that goes to work in seconds and freshens breath. new tums freshers. ♪ tum...tum...tum...tum... tums! ♪ [ male announcer ] fast relief, fresh breath, all in a pocket sized pack. [ male announcer ] fast relief, fresh breath, i've been a superintendent for 30 some years at many different park service units across the united states.

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convenient way for students to access their financial aid funds, but at what price? here is rehema ellis. >> for many students, college is the first opportunity to exercise freedom and responsibility. and some get a reality check when they access their financial aid using a campus debit card. one public interest group said it can put some of their funds at risk. >> we don't think that a single dollar of financial aid money should be spent on bank fees. >> a new report reveals almost 900 colleges with over 9 million students have a debit card arrangement with a financial institution. in some cases, dispersing millions of federal student loan dollars left after tuition payments. the largest firm in this business is higher one, with debit card agreements on over 520 campuses reaching over 4.2 million students. their fees include $50 if you fail to verify your identity in

the allotted timeframe. up to $10 a month for six months of inactivity. 50 cents per debit transaction. but on its website, they also explain how students can avoid those fees. and in a statement to nbc news, says, students working with higher one are never charged fees to receive their tuition refund and will always have an option to have the funds distributed into a bank account of their choosing. miami-dade college said complaints have been few, adding the service provides our students with greater alternatives and provides them their funds much sooner than when the college was processing them in-house. financial advisers say students must watch their own bottom line. >> they have easier access to their account than students of a generation ago, and they need to play close attention to those numbers or they're going to rack up fees. >> it's one of their first lessons in financial literacy and managing debt. rehema ellis, nbc news, new york. a quick look at wall street

where stocks finished lower as worries about europe, spain in particular, took center stage again. the dow was down more than 160 points. the nasdaq lost more than 33, and the s & p 500 was down 13 points. the dow was on track for its biggest loss since may of 2010, down 6% on the month. up next here tonight, the little girl who went up against kids twice her age today and made some history. ay and made some history. looking for a better place to put your cash? here's one you may not have thought of -- fidelity. now you don't have to go to a bank to get the things you want from a bank, like no-fee atms, all over the world. free checkwriting and mobile deposits. now depositing a check is as easy as taking a picture. free online bill payments. a highly acclaimed credit card with 2% cash back into your fidelity account. open a fidelity cash management account today and discover another reason serious investors are choosing fidelity.

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she is just 6 years old, a second grader from virginia, totally adorable, and now she's a record setter. with poise and confidence today, laurie ann madison became the youngest competitor in the history of the national spelling bee. a little adjustment of the mike and she was all business. >> hi, laurie ann. >> hi. >> dirigible.

>> dirigible. >> d-i-r-i-g-i-b-l-e. dirigible. >> applause for lori ann and then some high fives. sadly, she misspelled her next word, meaning a bird's crop. she didn't qualify for the semifinals, but we think it's fair to say she's still a winner. one of the greatest guitar players who ever lived has died. doc watson was an eight-time grammy winning folk musician who has been credited from moving t guitar from a background instrument to a starring role with his lightning fast picking style. born in the blue ridge mountains and blind from the age of 1, he taught himself to play what were traditionally the fiddle parts of folk songs on his guitar. he went on to record 60 albums and influenced countless artists, president clinton awarded him the national medal of the arts in 1997.

doc watson died yesterday in winston-salem, north carolina. he was 89 years old. up next here tonight, the hatfields and mccoys at it again. again. ou why you fell in love with her in the first place. and why you still feel the same. but your erectile dysfunction -- that could be a question of blood flow. cialis for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or if you have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat,

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who would have thought that the big entertainment hit of this memorial day week would involve a family feud that started in the 1860s? this history channel miniseries "hatfields and mccoys" drew a huge number monday night with 14 million viewers. it's the second most watched nonsports show in basic cable history after "high school musical 2." anne thompson has more on why americans are loving this long-running fights. >> the hats, the beards, and the dirt may obscure the hollywood star power, even kevin costner, but the lure of the hatfields and mccoys is still irresistible. more than 120 years after the feud. >> it's not folklore, not a story. it's a fact. >> bonita mccoy lyons is a descendant of the first man killed, asa mccoy. she treasured the gun as well as the recognition her name brings in places like paris. >> a gentleman there said oh, a

mccoy. from where? i said, from the bang-bang mccoys. >> the real life drama that erupted over a stolen pig. >> a pig thief. >> included romance, betrayal, murder, revenge, and a legal issue that went all the way to the u.s. supreme court. >> it's a question of little irritations building and then igniting and then all hell breaking loose. >> their story is woven into america's popular culture in a song made famous by waylon jennings. ♪ like the hatfields and the mccoys ♪ >> cartoons immortalized them from bugs bunny. ♪ step right up you're doing fine ♪ >> to the prehistoric flintstones. >> it's from that hillbilly jethro hatrock. he's coming here to blast me. >> then the game show. >> let's finish the family feud.

>> in 1979 pitted the real hatfields and mccoys against each other, playing for a pig. >> hatfield and mccoys, let's play the feud. >> today, the families are united on facebook, holding an annual marathon that attracts 500 people to the hills where their ancestors fought. this summer, it's once again america's favorite family drama, and there's no arguing over that. anne thompson, nbc news, new york. >> that's our broadcast for this wednesday night. thank you for being with us. i'm lester holt, in tonight for brian. matt lauer will be sitting in here tomorrow. hope you'll join him. have a good night, everyone.