i'm lester holt sitting in for brian. the world can only stand by and watch in horror today as one of the most vital countries in the middle east spiraled deeper into chaos and maybe even civil war. in egypt, two days after hundreds of its supporters died in the face of a government crackdown, the muslim brotherhood made good on its promise to take to the streets again in what it billed as a day of rage. the outcome was the one many feared. tonight an estimated 100 people are dead in cairo and other egyptian cities, and, once again, our richard engel was there to witness it all. he joins us now from cairo. richard, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, lester. there are now open battles between supporters of egypt's democratically elected president and the military that removed him. and today the two sides clashed violently here in cairo. in cairo's ramses square, just protesters denounced egypt's military-backed government. but after just three hours, it turned. gunshots rang out, demonstrators set bonfires, prayed fo

i'm lester holt sitting in tonight for brian. if you've found yourself in front of a computer lately trying to find cheap air fair, then you know how frustrating it can be. it's no secret there are fewer seats to be had as airlines have cut capacity. and a wave of mega mergers have swept names like northwest, continental and airtran into history. today the government put its foot down and blocked the merger between american airlines and us airways, which combined would be the world's biggest airline. contrary to what those two carriers have been saying, the deal will reduce competition and force us all to pay more to fly. nbc's tom costello has a story from one of the airports that could be most impacted by all this, washington's reagan national. tom? >> reporter: hi, lester. justice says if this deal goes through, this mega airline would control 69% of the takeoff and landing slots here at reagan national airport, and competition would be affected nationwide. for months, usairways and american had been promoting their merger as

i'm lester holt in new york. i will see you later today and tomorrow evening.ood night. >> these are the main sticking points. we're not sure if any progress has been made on any of these fronts today. we have seen some of the head negotiators coming inside and going back into the building. so far they have made no comment today. unions representing workers issued a 72 hour notice. as the clock ticks down to the deadline, just 30 hours away, many are getting anxious. workers went on strike last month for four days and causing major headaches for those who decided to try and drive where they needed to go. >> i tell commuted for a week. some people took the ferry and they said it took two and a half hours. >> it makes a mess of the whole

uáy i'm lester holt in for brian. hope to see you right back thanks for joining us. >> one of the state's most powerful lawmakers questions authorities at the state's utility commission. speaker of san jose has fired off a letter to the president of the cpuc, we uncovered that the president accepted $65,000 in gifts and travel. we broke the story last week and tony speaker campos is not sugar coating her observations. >> in a two-page letter she said that his travel he accepted is excessive. he accepted 16 trips in the past year and each valued at more than $6,000. a total of more than $165,000 in gifts and free travel. lavish gifts and in some cases from utilities you pay him to regular. accepting $165,000 in gifts and travel was quote, disappointing and the lengths and locations of the trip is outside the bounds of reasonableness. >> your investigation continues to highlight issues that symbolizes that the culture and department has serious issues that need to be addressed. he did not break

. >> announcer: this is nbc nightly news with lester holt. substituting tonight, snow. >> good evening. another violent day to end a bloody week in egypt as the country decents further into chaos. the 13wri78 government may ban the muslim brotherhood, the party of mohamed morsi. supporters had been battling with security forces since wednesday when the government launched a crack down. since then officials say almost 900 people have been killed, more than 3,000 injured and more than 1100 people have been arrested. we have complete coverage tonight beginning once again with nwc's correspondent richard angle on the ground. >> good evening, kate. more gunfire in cairo as egyptian forces moved in to clear out supporterses of the muz 4ri78 brotherhood from a mosque and growing signs in the country of civil unrest. egyptians are turning on each other. supporters of the muslim brotherhood took shelter in a cairo mosque, terrified if they went outside they would be lynched by angry mobs who back the military. after a gun fight, an armed man in the mo

i'm lester holt sitting in for brian. reinforce mts are on tonight for firefighters trying to save thousands of homes from a massive infer no still burning in central idaho. it's the biggest and most dangerous of more than three dozen wildfires. late word is they're now burning in eight western states. fr for those on the fire lines, the conditions couldn't be worse and the stakes couldn't be higher. the fire in idaho threatening at least three communities, and thousands have had to leave their homes. nbc's miguel almaguer was with firefighters on the front lines for part of the day. he's pulled back now to safer ground in nearby hailey, idaho in order to talk to us. miguel? >> reporter: this is the perfect fuel. fire loves these steep terrains. it really explodes out of control when it hits a hill like this. so much of this hill was covered with waist-high debris and brush. when it hit this fire, it took off. tonight idaho's beaver creek fire is the most dangerous, most explosive blaze in the nation with no sign of slowi

i'm lester holt in for brian. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night. >>> nbc bay area news starts now. >>> good evening, and thanks for joining us. >> we begin with the developing story, the rim fire still raging. this firefight near yosemite now the 13th largest fire in state history. want to show you what it looks like from the air where you can see all the smoke that it's creating. we're now talking about a fire that's been burning since august 17th. rugged terrain, high temperatures making it difficult. it's burned through 230 square miles, an area as big as chicago. the rim fire, just 15% contained. although that's better than what it was yesterday when it was just 7%. putting more than 3,000 firefighters on the front line. jodi hernandez is live with the latest details for us. >> reporter: jessica, firefighters tell me this has been a relatively good day. the rim fire, as you mentioned, is now 15% contained. and though thousands and thousands of acres of wild land have burned, things finally seem to be moving in the right direction. f

i'm lester holt in for brian. here in washington, talk of war and peace at the lincoln memorial where martin luther king jr. delivered his famous "i have a dream" speech 50 years ago today. president obama headlined a chorus of speakers saluting the racial justice that changed this country. a lot more on that in a few minutes. >>> but first, the remmings in this city about a possible military attack against syria as early as this week over its use of chemical weapons. tonight the pentagon says the u.s. military is ready to attack but in an interview this evening president obama says he has not made a decision to order a military strike. and new pressure on the president. the speaker of the house is demanding he make the case for any military action against syria. we want to begin our coverage with nbc's chief foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell in our washington newsroom. andrea, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, lester. diplomacy came to a dead end at the united nations when the russians again bl

i'm lester holt in new york. for all of us on nbc news, good night. >>> nbc bay area news starts now. >>> and right now, at 6:00, navigating around the bay bridge closure, a live look from our chopper over the san mateo bridge. take a look at that eastbound traffic. it is moving slowly, but far, far better than it was just a few hours ago. >>> want to give you a live look at traffic around the bay area. you're looking at the golden gate bridge right now. and traffic is moving smoothly, especially for a friday night. let's take you over to interstate 880 in oakland. not bad. maybe lots of people left early. some green on that green. some yellow. but mostly green. a lot of people trying to move home quickly. there is some traffic around the peninsula and the east bay though. so when will the bridge open on time, for the $6 billion question, we turn to jodi hernandez, live at the bay bridge toll plaza with more on the progress of construction crews there. >> reporter: and they're making a lot of progress. cal tran s

i'm lester holt sitting in for brian. a day after its deadly crackdown on opposition protesters, egypt's government today vowed to respond to any retaliation with more deadly force. the estimated death toll from yesterday's armed assault on two sit-ins has more than doubled since this time last evening, now topping 600. and today as families claim the bodies of the dead, members of the muslim brotherhood, who want the country's elected president restored to power, say they will not be crushed and plan another show of solidarity tomorrow. and that tonight has the u.s. state department warning americans to leave that country immediately. once again, nbc's richard engel is in cairo for us with the very latest on this unfolding crisis. richard? >> reporter: good evening, lester. even after all that has happen today egyptian security forces officially authorized the use of live fire to protect themselves in, quote, key installations. undeterred, the muslim brotherhood hopes to have a massive demonstration here in downtown cair

i'm lester holt in tonight for brian. we start with the days and days of torrential rains that have left neighborhoods cut off, cars swept away, and have led to evacuations and some dramatic rescues. it's happening across the nation's midsection and it has left scores of communities awash in misery. as we come on the air tonight, flash flood watches and warnings are posted for more than a dozen states. from kansas to tennessee. to give you a sense of the intensity of the downpours they've been seeing, parts of missouri saw 15 inches of rain in two days. parts of arkansas got 10 inches overnight. so far this weather system has left at least two people dead. we begin our coverage in hard-hit nashville and nbc's kerry sanders. kerry, give us a sense of what all that water is doing. >> reporter: well, good evening, lester. more than 200 people here in tennessee were rescued by boat. the power of those flash floods is evident right here. this is the foundation of what was a one-story office building. those flash floods picked

. >> good evening, i'm lester holt sitting in for brian. we shudder at the thought as to how the lead of this broadcast might have rea that's because the story begins with an armed man entering a grade school and pulling the trigger. the word of shots fired inside mcnair discovery learning center in decatur, georgia, was quickly followed by images of s.w.a.t. teams surrounding the school, children being hurried to safety by teachers. a scene we have witnessed far too many times with horrifying outcomes. this time thankfully no one was injured, but as the school year begins around the country, today's scare raises new and difficult questions about what we have really learned from the newtown tragedy. nbc's gabe gutierrez joins us from decatur now with details. gabe? >> reporter: lester, all 800-plus students have been accounted for tonight, and no injuries have been reported. visitors are supposed to be buzzed into the school, but somehow the suspect got through. a terrifying scene in suburban atlanta. a reported gunman at an elementary scho

i'm lester holt in for brian. the u.s. tonight appears to have just lost a key ally as it tries to build consensus for a punishing military attack on syria. there's late word from london that britain's parliament has voted tonight against supporting an attack. but even as efforts towards an international consensus unravel, the white house is still pressing its case here at home for a military strike. in a conference call this evening, members of the president's national security team are briefing congressional leaders in what the white house believes was the syrian government's role in a deadly nerve gas attack, and laying out the parameters in a military response with or without international partners. we have reports from washington, as well as inside damascus tonight. andrea mitchell starts us off from washington. andrea, good evening. >> good evening, lester. tonight the president is losing momentum for quick action against syria, and thinking of the real prospect if he does act within days, he may be doing it alone. s

i'm lester holt sitting in tonight for brian. while the cold war has been over for more than 20 years the growing chill of late between washington and moscow became downright frosty today as president obama called off his planned meeting with russia's vladimir putin. a response to russia's grant of asylum to admitted american spy edward snowden, but the split goes deeper than that and highlights the failure of the two most powerful men in the world to come to terms on dealing with everything from syria's brutal regime to arms control. meantime, the president is also speaking publicly for the first time about the terror warnings emanating from the arabian peninsula. chief white house correspondent chuck todd starts us off with more on all that. chuck? >> reporter: good evening, lester. both sides insist the cold war isn't back, but it is clear the relationship with the united states and russia is getting pretty icy. today's announcement that the president will not meet vladimir putin in moscow next month represents a new low in th

i'm lester holt in for brian.l see you later on "dateline," but for now, good night and have a great weekend. >>> nbc bay area news starts now. >>> thanks for joining us. i'm terry mcsweeney. >> we begin with the developing story, the assault from the air to control a massive fire that has now encroached into yosemite national park. want to show you the view of the rim fire now burning for six days, charring more than 165 square miles. this is the view from the ground now where the inferno is intense. the flames have now pushed into the park. and while the park is safe for now, close to 5,000 homes are in the line of fire. nbc jodi hernandez is live from grove land. she joins us now. >> reporter: jessica, that fire is a monster. numerous firefighters say they have never seen anything quite like this. as you look over this ring you can see all this smoke coming up. that is where the fire is burning hot and heavy tonight. we are told it is wall to wall flames out there. and as of right now, this fire is expected to

i'm lester holt sitting in for brian. we begin tonight with a massive firefight across a huge part of the country. right now at least 51 wildfires are burning out of control, and there's word tonight the federal government is running out of money and resources to fight them. while in california tonight there are new evacuations near yosemite national park as a huge fire there closes in. nbc's miguel almaguer has made his way near yosemite. he starts united states off with late-breaking details. good evening. >> reporter: good evening. 84 square miles. that's what's been lost here because conditions in this forest are so dry the growth potential for this fire is extreme, and it couldn't come at a worse time. near yosemite national park, 1,300 firefighters are on their heels, face to face with a firestorm. the rim fire raging out of control, tripling in size overnight. with two homes lost so far, 2,500 structures are threatened. thousands have fled their homes, and summer camps forced children r children to leave too. don m

. >>> good evening, i'm lester holt sitting in tonight for brian. the weather folks call it a stalled front, a weather system packed with rain that just won't budge. if you're watching us tonight across a wide stretch of the country from oklahoma to west virginia, be prepared for another drenching and more flooding. the rain totals have been astounding. in some places, 10 inches in a single night, destroying homes, businesses, and turning some streets into raging rapids. and tonight, there have been more deaths. nbc's kerry sanders is in nashville for us again tonight. kerry, what's it look like there now? >> reporter: well, good evening, lester. with more rain looming, there's a race to get soaked carpet, drywall, furniture, just about anything inside houses out before mold begins to grow. this pile behind me is just from one house here in nashville. it's a scene repeated across 17 states. hit by wicked weather. >> 911. >> we're in a car that's flooding! >> reporter: the torrential rain rain sweeping across the midwest claimed another victim this m

. >>> good evening, i'm lester holt sitting in tonight for brian. >>> what an incredibly close call it was for guests at a resort near disney world when the ground literally opened up beneath them as many of them slept. let's show you what it looked like from above the scene right now in clermont, florida, where a massive sinkhole opened up changing much of the resort structure. more than 100 people were forced to evacuate. some under harrowing conditions, remarkably no one was killed. nbc's kerry sanders is there with late details. kerry, i assume you're on firm ground right now, but how big a danger area at risk is there? >> reporter: well, good evening, lester. they've moved us back three city blocks fearing the sinkhole would continue to grow. the problem actually begins about 20 to 100 feet down where there's limestone. rainwater goes through the earth and hits that limestone, and it can cause it to dissolve. that is a recipe for disaster. >> we have a building that can potentially collapse. we don't know if it's a sinkhole or what. >> we need to know what room everybody was in. >

. >>> good evening, i'm lester holt in for brian. there are a number of indications tonight that a u.s.-led military strike against syria could be launched before the end of the week. momentum for punishing action against the assad government has been building throughout the day, and as we begin here tonight, there are several new developments to report. the white house says it will release solid evidence that the syrian government ordered a mass chemical weapons attack on its own people last week. on the diplomatic side, international support for an attack is growing. and from the pentagon, word that u.s. war ships are in place and ready to launch when the order is given. this fast moving chain of events all touched off by those horrific images of dead and dying civilians that shocked the world. nbc's andrea mitchell begins our coverage tonight from washington. andrea, good evening. >> good evening, lester. brushing aside assad's denial, the administration's goal is to punish him and stop him from ordering another chemical attack. h

i'm lester holt in for brian. what we have learned in the 24 hours or so after a heavily armed man barged into an atlanta area school is beyond frightening and comes as a jarring reminder of what happened just eight months ago in newtown, connecticut, and what could have happened yesterday. police in georgia say the alleged gunman had nearly 500 bullets and was apparently prepared for a violent showdown with police when he entered the mcnair discovery learning academy. also new tonight details of his criminal record and what his lawyer said today about his mental state. our national correspondent kate snow is in dekalb county, georgia, with the latest for us. kate? >> reporter: good evening, lester. this school has a lot of security. a double front door, you have to be buzzed to get in. but the gunman was able to closely follow someone into the school. 800 children were inside the classrooms and yet not one was hurt. >> sounded like a shootout. >> reporter: a self-portrait of michael hill, who took an ak-47 assaul

i'm lester holt in new york.of us on nbc news, good night. [ music playing ] >> la mar dui arres

." >> good evening, i'm lester holt sitting in for brian. we shudder at the thought as to how this broadcast might have read. the word of shots fired inside mcnair discovery learning center in decatur, georgia, was quickly followed by images of s.w.a.t. teams surrounding the school, children being hurried to safety by teachers. a scene we have witnessed far too many times with horrifying outcomes. this time thankfully no one was injured, but as the school year begins around the country, today's scare raises new and difficult questions about what we have really learned from the newtown tragedy. nbc's gabe gutierrez joins us from decatur now with details. gabe? >> reporter: lester, all 800-plus students have been accounted for tonight, and no injuries have been reported. visitors are supposed to be buzzed into the school, but somehow the suspect got through. a terrifying scene in suburban atlanta. a reported gunman and an elementary school, children being quickly herded to safety, and dozens of officers swarming. >> why would you run into an e

i'm lester holt in for brian. what we have learned in the 24 hours or so after a heavily armed man barged into an atlanta area school is beyond frightening and comes as a jarring reminder of what happened just eight months ago in newtown, connecticut, and what could have happened yesterday. police in georgia say the alleged gunman had nearly 500 bullets and was apparently prepared for a violent showdown with police when he entered the mcnair discovery learning academy. also new tonight details of his criminal record and what his lawyer said today about his mental state. our national correspondent kate snow is in dekalb county, georgia weath georgia, with the latest for us. kate? >> reporter: good morning, lester. a lot of security here, a double front door, you have to be buzzed in, but the gunman was able to closely follow someone in the school. 800 children were inside the classrooms and yet not one was hurt. >> a shoot-out. >> reporter: a self-portrait of michael hill, who took an ak-47 assault rifle and close

i'm lester holt in for brian. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening.night, everyone.

. >>> good evening, i'm lester holt in for brian. they are horrifying images that will instinctively make you want to look away, yet they can't be ignored. in a long war that's brought death and misery to both sides, the video evidence of what may have happened inside syria, a mass chemical will weapons attack, has shocked the world. hundreds, many children, are dead. tonight the claims of a chemical attack have still not been verified. from the syrian regimes, denials, which the obama white house which for a year has called the chemical weapons use in syria a red line is now being cautious as it calls for an investigation. you're about to see what the rebels say is the evidence, some of it very graphic. our chief foreign correspondent richard engel joins us now with that. richard? >> reporter: good evening, lester. more videos emerge from syria today. they are unconfirmed by nbc news, but they are consistent with the accounts of witnesses we spoke to. and, again, these images are graphic. the syrian government bombed villages outsid

i'm lester holt sitting in for brian. the world can only stand by and watch in horror today as one of the most vital countries in the middle east spiralled deeper into chaos and maybe even civil war. in egypt, two days after hundreds of its supporters died in the face of a government crackdown, the muslim brotherhood made good on its promise to take to the streets again in what it billed as a day of rage. the outcome was the one many feared. tonight an estimated 100 people are dead in cairo and other egyptian cities, and, once again, our richard engel was there to witness it all. he joins us now from cairo. richard, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, lester. there are now open battles between supporters of egypt's democratically elected president and the military who removed him. and today the two sides clashed violently here in cairo. in cairo's aramsey square, just after three hours, it turned. gunshots rang out, demonstrators set bonfires, prayed for strength, broke stones for ammunition, slid barricades into pla

. >> good evening, i'm lester holt sitting in for brian. the horrific images coming out of egypt all day capture a country rapidly spiraling out of control as the government made good on promises to disperse supporters of egypt's lawfully elected president who was ousted by the military last month. tonight hundreds are dead and thousands injured following the crackdown on two protest encampments. witnesses say security forces opened fire on protesters, but there were casualties on both sides. we want to get right to richard engel in cairo, who is now in a safe location after being on the streets all day. richard, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, lester. washington had been pressuring egypt not to do this, but egypt did it anyway, and now roughly 300 people are dead, including some 40 members of the egyptian security forces. a curfew is in place, as is a state of emergency for the next month. egypt is unraveling. its hope of democracy obscured behind tear gas and bullets. at first light, egyptian security forces, which ousted the ele

i'm lester holt sitting in tonight for brian. while the cold war has been over for more than 20 years the growing chill of late between washington and moscow became downright frosty today as president obama called off his planned meeting with russia's vladimir putin. a response to russia's grant of asylum to accused american spy edward snowden, but the split goes deeper than that the and highlights the failure of the two most powerful men in the world to everything from syria to arms control. the president is speaking publically for the first time about the terror warnings from the arabian peninsula. chief white house correspondent chuck todd starts us off with more on that. chuck. >> reporter: good evening, lester. both sides insist the cold war isn't back, but it is clear the relationship with the united states and russia is getting pretty icy. today's announcement that the president will not meet vladimir putin in moscow next month represents a new low in the combative back and forth over issues from trade to adoptions on syri

. >>> good evening, i'm lester holt sitting in for brian. the weather folks call it a stall front. a weather system packed with rain that just won't budge. if you're watching us tonight across a wide stretch of the country from oklahoma to west virginia, be prepared for another drenching and more flooding. the rain totals have been astounding. in some places, ten inches in a single night. destroying homes, businesses and turning some streets into raging rapids. and tonight, there have been more deaths. nbc's kerry sanders is in nashville for us again tonight. kerry, what's it look like there now? >> good evening, lester. with more rain looming, there's a race to get soaked carpet, drywall, furniture, just about anything inside houses out before mold begins to grow. this pile behind me is just from one house here in nashville. it's a scene repeated across 17 states. hit by wicked weather. >> we're in a car that's flooding! >> the torrential rain sweeping across the midwest claimed another victim this morning. a 60-year-old man in oklahoma city was swept away in a flash flood while t

. >>> good evening, i'm lester holt sitting in tonight for brian. what an incredibly close call in a resort near disney world when the ground literally opened up beneath them as many slept. what it looks like from above the scene now in clermont, florida, where a massive sink hole opened up overnight chancing much of the resort structure. more than 100 people were forced to evacuate. some under harrowing conditions, remarkably no one was killed. nbc's kerry sanders is there with late details. kerry, i assume you're on firm ground right now, but how big a danger area at risk is there? >> reporter: well, good evening, lester. they've moved up three city blocks fearing the sinkhole would continue to grow. the problem actually begins about 20 to 100 feet down where there's limestone. rainwater goes through the earth and hit that limestone and it can cause it to dissolve. that is a recipe for disaster. >> we need to know what room everybody was in. >> reporter: shortly after 3:00 in the morning, maggie started her camera during the chaos. she says it cam

lester holt. >> we appreciate it. >> thanks for being here, guys.d in this half hour, you may have heard ben affleck is going to be batman. he will star as the caped crusader on the big screen. but turns out, not everyone is cheering him in the role. we'll take a look at why the controversy over ben as batman and the other entertainment headlines. >> boy, social media took off about that yesterday, it's a big deal. >>> then, we're missing jenna this morning. our new mom is home with her new baby harper. i love that name. >> i do too. that's a great name. >> we're going to check in with jenna and her partner stephanie and their bundle of joy coming up. >>> that discrimination lawsuit against paula deen is dismissed. and the question this morning surrounds her business and whether or not she can get her reputation back. we'll take a look at that. >>> but first, australian baseball player christopher lane is being remembered this morning at a baseball game in melbourne. people shocked and outraged after he was killed earlier this week in oklahoma. the

i'm lester holt.ining us. >>> our issues and people this sunday, the breaking news this morning. days of rage. deadly clashes in egypt and president obama's response. >> our traditional cooperation cannot continue as usual when civilians are being killed in the streets. >> the key question for the u.s. -- should we cut off aid to egypt? i'll ask two key senators on the armed services committee. >>> race and justice, a controversial crime-fighting tool, stop and frisk, rejected by a federal judge. new york city police commissioner ray kelly joins me to defend it, while trayvon martin's mother gives me her views in an exclusive live interview. >>> ready to run? hillary clinton returns to the stage. what's her strategy and what's the gop plan of attack for 2016? i'll get insights and analysis from our special roundtable. i'm david gregory. all that ahead on "meet the press" this sunday morning, august 18th. >>> straight to the breaking news. a heavy security presence in cairo, egypt, this morning as mili

. >>> i'm lester holt in tonight for brian. we start with the days and days of torrential rains that have left neighborhoods cut off, cars swept away and led to evacuations and some dramatic rescues. it's happening across the nation's midsection and it has left scores of communities awash in misery. as we come on the air tonight, flash flood watches and warnings are posted for more than a dozen states. from kansas to tennessee. to give you a sense of the intensity of the downpours they've been seeing, parts of missouri saw 15 inches of rain in two days. parts of arkansas got 10 inches overnight. so far this weather system has left at least two people dead. we begin our coverage in hard-hit nashville and nbc's kerry sanders. kerry, give us a sense of what all that water is doing. >>eporter: well, good evening, lester. more than 200 people here in tennessee were rescued by boat. the power of those flash floods is evident right here. this is the foundation of what was a one-story office building. those flash floods picked it up an

i'm lester holt. >> that's all for now. i'm lester holt. us.y vitac -- www.vitac.com >>> this sunday special "meet the press." the american dream. >> i have a dream. >> 50 years ago this week, dr. martin luther king jr. changed history with his i have a dream speech. he had a vision for equality and economic progress and issued a challenge to america -- to live up to its democratic ideals. how does america measure up today? i'll ask our guests, civil rights pioneer and georgia congressman john lewis, mayor of newark, new jersey, cory booker, and develop nor of louisiana, bobby jindal. also, we'll explore the overall state of american dream -- civil rightses, the struggle of the middle classes, issues at the heart of our political debate. our roundtable weighs in. host of msnbc's "politics nation," the reverend al sharpton, pulitzer prize-winning journalist sheryl wudunn, republican congressman from idaho, raul labrador, and unique perspective from historian doris kearns goodwin as well as "new york times" columnist david brooks. i'm david g

i'm lester holt.for joining us. . >>> our key issues and people this sunday -- high alert, an al qaeda terror threat. who is behind the administration's high anxiety? we'll hear from two leading u.s. senators including the top republican on the senate intelligence committee. >>> the snowden affair. russia gives him temporary asylum. how the obama administration is trying to win the debate over privacy versus security. >>> craving the spot light. politicians and personal scandals. what makes them think they should stay in public life? inside on the pursuit of redemmings from our political roundtable including the host of msnbc's "morning joe," joe scarborough. >>> and judgment day. the fate of some of baseball's biggest stars hangs in the balance as they face the prospect of severe penalties over steroid use. is it enough to restore trust in america's favorite pastime? perspective this morning as i talk with bob costas of nbc sportses. i'm david gregory. all that ahead on "meet the press" this sunday m

i'm erica hill there i'm thomas roberts filling in for lester holt. >> jenna and dylan filling in. we're closer. we're in sort of temporary digs in the studio. >> it's like we've set up a studio in our home. >> yes. >> -- >> i'm hanging on -- i feel like i'm rolling away. >> on the ends, right? excuse me. i'll talk to you later. >> don't move the desk. regardless for me this is the big dance, to be here with you. >> happy to have you. >> i hope you don't mind that i got you all something. >> oh no. >> oh no. >> we don't have enough. i got you -- >> fantastic. >> one for jenna, you're pure joy. >> pure. >> yellow. for dylan because you are brilliant and bright. purple for you, it matches my tie. >> we're dating this morning. wrist corsages. i wanted to impress all of you. >> a belly corsage. >> so i'll be invited back. >> i wish i had gotten you something except all we have is this screw thomas found on the floor. i don't think we should be worried about the temporary studio when we find screws. >> lovely. >> prom pictures later. the gym was closed downstairs so we got moved to the

i'm erica hill. >> and aisle carl in for lester holt. along with dylan dryer. it's a tough situation for the firefighters trying to get a handle on the massive fire burning in yosemite national park. officials say it's created its own weather pattern making it too unpredictable to control. we're going to get the latest in just a moment. >> scary stuff there. also ahead this morning, the escalating situation in syria. defense secretary chuck hagel saying today the u.s. military is ready to act if ordered to do so by the president. he says all options are being considered at this point. we are live in the region with new development. >> plus, we'll take you to an emotional memorial service that was held saturday for the mother and brother of kidnapped teen hannah anderson. >> tough one there. we'll bring you the very latest on that. and also, i'm not sure if you've heard these statistics, but it's actually more difficult to get into than harvard, that is the storied nbc page program, a launching pad for a number of successful careers. we this morning are celebrat

. >>> from nbc news, this is "today" with lester holt and erica hill live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >>> and welcome to "today" on this sunday morning. i'm erica hill. >> and i'm kraig mall vin alongside jen na wolf. a great way to start the broadcast here. dylan. >> people think we're identical twins all the time, craig. >>> in for lester today. >> and very nice to have you here. we're all excited to have you here, but we're not the only ones. your wife, lindsay, posted something very sweet on facebook this morning and we couldn't help bringing it up saying if there's ever a good reason to set the alarm on sunday, i found it. my husband hosting the "today" at 8:00 a.m. >> that's so sweet. >> it's sweet. and to think i screwed up the start just like that. >> no. not at all. >> thank you. now we know why she loves you too. >> wow. i might be able to get through the show now. >> great to have yu here. >> thanks for your hospitality. a lot to get to this morning especially when we're talking about the rescue of 16-year-old hannah anderson in the idaho wilderness. her alleged kidn

i'm erica hill. >> be and i'm lester holt alongside jenna wolfe and dylan dreyer. i noticed you said, live, from rockefeller plaza. there's no stewudio 1-a. >> it doesn't exist right now. >> we didn't pay the rent. no, that's not the truth. >> lester's check bounced again. >> we're doing a big renovation. >> that has never happened in his life. >> oh, yes, it has. but, anyway, we got kicked out for a few weeks whale doing a major renovation, makeover of studio 1-a so we are the first ones out here and discovering a roof wouldn't be a bad idea. up until 15 minutes ago we were getting drops. >> just a couple little drops. i think the rain will hold off until we're done with the show. >> thinking. >> thinking. this whole system was supposed to stay out over 0 the water so the fact it's even here right now is bumming me out. >> well, shame on that storm system. >> we'll have a stop with that storm system later, dylan. >>> a lot to get to this morning including olympian and double amputee oscar mipistorius headi back to a south rf african courtroom where he is charged i

lester holt will be here tomorrow. i'm kate snow reporting from new york. here at nbc news, have a great night. look at 'em. living on cloud nine with that u-verse wireless receiver. you see in my day, when my mom was repainting the house, you couldn't just set up a tv in the basement. i mean, come on! nope. we could only watch tv in the rooms that had a tv outlet. yeah if we wanted to watch tv someplace else, we'd have to go to my aunt sally's. have you ever sat on a plastic covered couch? [ kids cheering ] you're missing a good game over here. those kids wouldn't have lasted one day in our shoes. [ male announcer ] switch and add a wireless receiver. get u-verse tv for $19 a month for 2 years with qualifying bundles rethink possible. >>> good evening i'm terry mcsweeney. b.a.r.t. riders are guaranteed they will have service for at least the next two months after a judge ordered a cooling off period between b.a.r.t. and it's two largest unions. they have more time to settle. you would never know it. they have been talking all afternoon and into the evening

>> announcer: this is nbc nightly news with lester holt. substituting tonight is kate snow. >> good evening. the water came fast and caught a lot of americans off guard overnight in places where the ground was already saturated and inches fell within hours. there were rivers of muddy water filled with debris roaring past houses and downed highways. heavy rains hit several states across the middle of the country with more rain in the forecast and in colorado, the flash flooding was deadly. that's where we begin west of colorado springs with leanne gregg. it hit without warning. >> reporter: as you can see the clean up is now under way. within the last 24 hours, a wall of water hit this town, surging more than 12 feet above the creek bed sending visitors and residents scrambling for higher ground. more than an inch of rain turned this roadway into a raging river rushing 25 to 30 miles an hour. >> oh, god. >> reporter: torrential downpours hit west of colorado springs, causing flash floods and triggering mudslides and sweeping cars and homes i

i'm lester holt reporting from new york. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow. for all of us here at nbc news, good night. look at 'em. living on cloud nine with that u-verse wireless receiver. you see in my day, when my mom was repainting the house, you couldn't just set up a tv in the basement. i mean, come on! nope. we could only watch tv in the rooms that had a tv outlet. yeah if we wanted to watch tv someplace else, we'd have to go to my aunt sally's. have you ever sat on a plastic covered couch? [ kids cheering ] you're missing a good game over here. those kids wouldn't have lasted one day in our shoes. [ male announcer ] switch and add a wireless receiver. get u-verse tv for $19 a month for 2 years with qualifying bundles rethink possible. >>> good evening, i'm diane dwyer. terry mcsweeney is off tonight. police are looking for a pickup truck that was involved in a deadly hit-and-run last night. it was their alum avenue and hillary. >> the vick time is a 61-year-old man also seen in the neighborhood sitting at a bus stop. it happened just before 9:00

lester holt will be here with you tomorrow night.nd 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 vaca

i'm lester holt in for brian tonight. w

i'm lester holt. >> i'm erica hill with dylan dreyer.e death of one-time faux to whitey bulger. the potential witness was poisoned but the killing doesn't have anything to do with the trial. the latest on that is just ahead. >>> is plastic surgery really a fountain of youth? most people spend money and endure the pain to make themselves look better and younger, but is it worth it? a new study suggests maybe not. >> we do begin with the embassies overseas preparing to close,s that new travel alert is issued. kristin welker at the white house with latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. u.s. officials say, the embassy closures are temporary, and out of an abundance of caution, lawmakers briefed on the situation say this is the most serious threat they have seen in years. it is highly unusual, tomorrow 22 embassies in 17 countries will close their doors. u.s. officials are particularly concerned about targets in the middle east and north africa from algeria to bangladesh. >> we take threats not only to our personnel but any

lester holt will be here with you this weekend. i'm brian williams. i'll look for you back here on monday night. have a good weekend. good night. >>> nbc bay area news starts now. >>> god evening, and thanks for joining us on this friday. >> it's a cost they didn't see coming. a stadium expected to bring millions of dollars, but now it's on hold. the grand opening has been pushed back. why? nbc bay area's stephanie strong is live. >> reporter: the delay till maybe next mid season. soe're talking about a few months. by comparison, the new 49ers stadium is on schedule and a bigger project. the bigger question here is why the snag. it turns out the answer is location. the earth quake -- they are excited about the new stadium. about twice the capacity of the old one. what's behind the delay? today for the first time, team president took us on a tour. >> we're almost done with the seats. >> reporter: they say they began to unearth surprise after surprise. >> we thought there was a 6 inch concrete slab. they called them icebergs. they would hit one, and the

i'm lester holt. we leave you with more images from today's historic events in washington, d.c.or all of us at nbc news, good night. >>> good evening, i'm diane dwyer. developing story in the south bay. police searching for a gunman who shot and kald man in downtown san jose 1:00, near third and julian street, not far from st. james park. people who live nearby say it was disturbing to hear gunfire, especially in the middle of the day. >> it's just crazy that this can happen in downtown san jose in broad daylight. i live on the corner. a friend was walking back this direction as i was going toward downtown when the shooting occurred. while i was reading about it, i was wondering if that person got hurt or not. >> the man shot was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead a short time later. investigates don't know what led up to the shooting or whether it's gang related. they are working on putting together a description of the gunman. this is san jose's 33rd killing of the year. san jose had 46 in all of last year. >>> we have breaking news out of eldorado county. new fire bur

will i'm lester holt reporting from new york. for all of us here at nbc news, good night. sunday night football. primetime's number one show is back. >>> 50 years ago, the pro football hall of fame was founded in canton, ohio, to honor the men's whose contributions to the sport were the most significant. 17 charter members were enshrined in 1963, headlined by the legendary names like halas, hudson, grange and thorpe. this weekend, a record 122 hall of famers return to welcome to the exclusive club, the