record on crime, inflation, and immigration, mccarthy made a direct pitch for republicans to take over control of congress. >> we must change direction in washington before it is too late. >> reporter: in this political season, defending democracy is a fight in itself. kelly o'donnell, nbc news, the white house. now to the growing crisis in mississippi. the city of jackson without safe drinking water for a fourth straight day the national guard arriving to provide much-needed help morgan chesky is on the ground >> reporter: tonight in jackson, the mission couldn't be more clear >> have a nice day, ma'am. >> reporter: hundreds of national guardsmen handing out clean water to a nearly nonstop line of cars the site one of seven just opened by the state. >> it's sad. and i can't even afford to move out of jackson, so i have to stay here and deal with this. >> reporter: today at the treatment plant left crippled by recent floods, water pressure improved. but the advice to
from now >> reporter: and tonight officials stressed that all of these water drop-off sites will be remaining open for the foreseeable future meanwhile, the director of fema expected to be in jackson come tomorrow. lester >> morgan chesky, thank you. we are also monitoring the situation in the west. a dangerous and potentially deadly heat wave gripping the region tens of millions are under heat warnings as triple-digit temperatures strained the power grid and fuel new wildfires miguel almaguer is there. >> reporter: facing a series of explosive new wildfires and now under the daily threat of looming blackouts, tonight most of california and some 40 million americans across the west are suffering through unbearable heat. >> with this heat coming up, it's -- probably going to be at home most of the week honestly. >> reporter: cities pushed to the extreme. forecasted highs today in utah, arizona, nevada and california all well above 100 degrees. >> the heat is too much for me. >> reporter: with heat killing more americans
>> reporter: there is some hopeful news tonight, the russian navy ending its blockade of ukraine's grain, allowing the first ship to pass through. the u.s. calling it a significant step but says as long as russia continues to fight, the world's most vulnerable will suffer lester >> morgan chesky in ukraine, thank you in 60 seconds, why big city mayors far from the southern border are pleading for federal help tonight with the record number of migrants
>> translator: russia showed to everyone russia would fire at any corridor at any time whenever it wishes >> reporter: and tonight, a senior federal official says if russia does not comply with this u.n. agreement the biden administration is working on a plan "b" to transport ukraine's grain and other products out of the country and get it to those who need it most lester >> morgan chesky in ukraine, thanks. in 60 seconds, the shifting landscape of abortion what providers in some states are now doing because of the surge in women traveling in from states where abortion is illegal.
>> people are going to be opening their heart for reconciliation and healing because he is going to be speaking on the soil of this land >> reporter: francis welcomed with a headdress today, but not everyone is ready to forgive >> saying i'm sorry, but show you're sorry. >> reporter: there will be no instant healing. the pope says this is a time to remember, grieve, and ask forgiveness. lester >> anne thompson, tonight, thank you this evening we're hearing from the grieving parents of one of two americans killed recently in battle in ukraine while there's new fallout from russia's attack on a critical port city. morgan chesky is there. >> reporter: in eastern ukraine tonight, fears frontline fighting leaving two american families in mourning a ukrainian commander sharing over the weekend that two americans, including luke lucyszyn died in battle after traveling here on their own for the war effort >> my heart can't be any heavier than it is now.
days >> this is not a criminal investigation. there's no allegation of criminal wrongdoing in this case gross incompetence, maybe, failure to follow training, maybe. >> reporter: back in the memorial, uvalde fourth grader isaac perez, sending his schoolmates a message on the sidewalk. >> they'll be missed by their friends >> reporter: you're going to miss them too, huh >> yeah. >> morgan, if i can, let me circle back to the investigation. where does it stand? is there new information? >> reporter: lester, there is tonight, texas dps tells me tha pete arredondo, the school's police of chief, initially cooperated with authorities and provided a statement after the shooting but two days ago texas rangers requested a followup interview and as of right now he has yet to respond, lester >> morgan chesky tonight, thank you cities across the country have been reeling from gun violence in just the past week there were more than a dozen more mass shootings in america just over this long holiday weekend. sam brock now on the toll in a divided nation
making >> reporter: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt good evening it goes against every fiber in our being, having to bury our own children parents in uvalde, texas now facing that grim reality, beginning to lay their children to rest in a world no safer today than it was a week ago when their children became victims of mass murder this holiday weekend, nine people were killed and more than 60 hurt in mass shootings across the u.s. overall, at least 156 died by gun violence hundreds left wounded. but in the tiny texas town of uvalde, still mourning the 19 children and two adults who were ruthlessly murdered last tuesday, we're still learning about the timeline and what officers did or didn't do to try to save them but today's focus, the first of 21 funerals celebrating the lives lost our morgan chesky is there.
action, how to recognize danger, how to respond to it and be proactive, and that's exactly what we saw these hostages do. >> reporter: and tonight british authorities say akram's two teenage sons that were detained for questioning have now been released, and they won't face charges. lester >> morgan chesky, thank you for that. in 60 seconds, the white house warning that russia could invade ukraine at any moment richard engel is there.
>> a front tire which was a spare tire had failed, which resulted in the vehicle pulling hard to the left. and crossing into the opposing lane. >> reporter: the parents of 22-year-old jackson zin who died at the scene say they're shocked. >> still tragic but i don't -- >> we weren't going to -- >> i don't want to be hung up on the details. i want to celebrate my son's life. >> reporter: the university of the southwest sharing their heartbreak >> our institution is crushed and broken but strong. >> reporter: a glimmer of hope. after being airlifted, from a fiery, mangled scene, dayton pric and hayden underhill the only survivors on board the team van are improving in a lubbock, texas, hospital and tonight, authorities stress a 13-year-old behind the wheel is a clear violation of the law they tell me that the investigation is ongoing as many questions remain lester
>> nice to have some good news to report on all this. stephanie, thanks very much. now to that migrant camp on the texas border which is getting smaller tonight. we learned thousands of migrants have been released into the u.s morgan chesky is there. >> reporter: tonight on the texas border, these are the faces of those who don't know what tomorrow holds. our crew given rare access to the camp more than 5,000 haitian migrants still call home. and this has been the closest we have been allowed to get to this camp and as we look this direction, it is hard to believe some of these men, women and children have been beneath this very bridge for more than a week trying to create whatever shelter they can to stay cool. everyone's future here incredibly uncertain just two days ago, homeland security secretary mayorkas with this public warning to migrants >> if you come to the united states illegally, you will be returned. >> reporter: dhs officials tonight telling nbc news thousands of migrants who were under that bridge have been