Nightly news begins right now. Good evening. The american footprint in the war against isis is about to get bigger. And whether you call it boots on ground or advisors as the white house is calling it, for the first time Ground Troops are inside of syria. The americans, all from special operations, are fewer than 50. The mission said the white house, to assist local fighters. It is a major policy shift that has many wondering whether the door has cracked open to a deerer american ground rule. Richard engel has the story tonight. Reporter after thundershowers of airstrikes against isis in iraq and syria and 3000 troops back to iraq, today the white house announced a new step. The decision that the president has made is to send fewer than 50 special Operations Forces to sear. Reporter in other words, american boots opd ground in syria. Something the president said would never happen. I wont commit our troops to fighting another ground war in iraq or sear. Reporter but tonight the white house announced nothing has changed. They are not in a combat mission. That is not the mission but they could find themselves in a combat situation. There is no denying the amount of risk they are taking on here and they are equipped to defend themself if necessary. Reporter that left some military experts skeptical and angry. This is domestic politics. There is an element of alice and wonder land to this press announcement. I think it has been rare in American Military history to have seen micro management of military operations on the level of this white house. Reporter the announcement came on the same day that talks on syria began in vienna. The u. S. , russia, turkey and iran. The but the change in military policy has been in the works a long time. The decision to spend u. S. Special forces into syria is a recognition that simply what we were doing wasnt working. The situation on the ground was was continuing to deteriorate. Reporter a u. S. Official tells nbc news the new plan is a threepronged approach. In northern syria, dozens of American SpecialOperations Forces will deploy alongside kurtish and arab fighters to battle isis. In northern iraq, the u. S. Plans to to have a Rapid Reaction force to back up troops and allies. And in turkey, more airstrikes by the base by more aircraft. Including f15 bombers and lowflying a10 warthogs for close air support. Although the white house was at pains to admit it, the u. S. Is stepping deeper into the war in iraq and syria, even though it insists nothing has changed and no promises were broken. Lester. Richard, thank you. We want you to know ill sit down with president obama with a twopart interview, including what he still wants to accomplish as the final year in office approaches. That is monday night here on nightly news. Were following a major storm emergency happening in texas. One person is confirmed dead as massive flooding overwhelms a huge part of the state. Evacuations and roads turning into rivers. A school in san marcos completely surrounded. There have been three reports of tornados and one county has declared a state of disaster. With this system not expected to let up any time soon. Janet shamlian is in the storm zone for us. Reporter violent storms battering South Central texas. Record rain, reports of tornados, flooding and widespread damage. Evacuations from san antonio to austin. There is one of the vehicles that got washed away. Reporter noer a town of wimberley, kathleen and her friends were trapped in a bed and breakfast until rescued by the national guard. The water was rising so fast and we didnt know where we were going. Reporter sirens warned as the danger as the Cypress River spilled over and raced toward homes and businesses. On halloween eve the roads were filled with pumpkins carried away by the storm. In austin, amess. Amid the rising water, this woman helped by passers by. I quickly rolled down the window and pulled myself up. Reporter this was left in a wake. A tractortrailer like a broken toy on top of a hotel. Power lines down everywhere. The roof ripped from a high school. In south texas, a Lightning Strike knocked out radar at the National Weather service in brownsville. Rain soaked the state. Closing the Austin Airport which was battered by almost 14 inches in six hours, more than the city received the entire month of may, which was already the second wettest on record. The swollen blanco river cresting more than 13. 5 feet over flood stage. I watched it come up. Reporter the evacuations along the river bank reminiscence of may when storms claimed 31 lives, including eight people in a home swept down the river. It went from nothing to up my driveway. Reporter this woman was pregnant then. Late today, she was rescued with her 10dayold baby. Second time. This is the second time this has happened to us. It is almost unbelievable. Reporter all eyes are on the blanco river here tonight. While it has receded from the height of the storm today it is still high. And there is another system out there expected to bring more heavy rain in the next couple of hours. Back to you. Thank you. Al roker is here. We all sat up straight when you said this will drop amounts akin to a hurricane. That is right. This one has done 13 inches and there is more on the way. Tornado watches in effect for evening and tonight, damaging winds and tornados. Two inch hail possible tomorrow. That system moves to the east and now in louisiana, in the gun sights. One inch hail possible. To give you a sense. Were talking upwards of another 56 inches locally, could be 57 inches of rain in a square mile, you get an inch of rain. That is the equivalent of 17 million gallons of water. Well let me put it to you this way, we have flash flood watches and warnings that cover 75,000 square miles and you put that into perspective. That is 1. 27 trillion gallons of water, enough to fill 192,000 olympic swimming pools. Al, thanks very much. Turning to the race for 2016. We have a brand new nbc news online poll conducted by survey monkey. The first since wednesdays Republican Debate showing ben carson in a dead heat with donald trump for the lead. But as for who actually won the debate, the polls show ted cruz on top followed by marco rubio and then trump and carson. Over all jep bush fared worst in the debate. Hallie jackson is on the campaign trail in iowa. Reporter a kind of victory trap planned in iowa but it is colorado the focus today after wednesdays debate. Multiple campaigns planning to huddle to compare campaigns. Just a minute. Let me finish. Reporter now the Republican Party is suspending februarys nbc news telemundo debate, the only debate to be aired on Spanish Language tv, writing the moderators in engaged in a series of gotcha questions and petty and mean spirit the in tone and designed to embarrass the candidates. Nbc news said people who want to be president of the United States should be able to answer tough questions. Nbc news owned by the same Parent Company as cnbc called it a Disappointing Development but promises to work in good faith to resolve this mooter with the Republican Party. More fallout after a debate giving new momentum to ted cruz and mark row rubio who lended a counter punch against jeb bush. The super pac supporting rubio previewing the first ad is also highlighting cruz, trump and carson as his biggest competitors. Not mentioned, his former mentor, jeb bush. That is even as a leaked memo shows the Campaign Plan to go after rubio, painting him as a risky bet. Someone decides they want to do the democrats job for them and make it easier for the democrats to defeat a republican, that is the choice they make in their campaign. But i cant let it chafrp my campaign and i wont. Tonight signs for a shake up for bush. His chief operating officer leaving the campaign as bush promises to get better as a candidate explaining how to casey hunt. We have eight more debates and im going to have to do what candidates do which is rudely interrupt and not answer the questions that are asked and hopefully the debate moderators will ask for substantive questions as well. It is going fine. Are you having any fun . Oh, yeah. You saw it. I had a lot of fun. Reporter expect to see a sharper jeb bush on the trail next week in florida. As we looks to boosts had standing to compete with donald trump and ben carson. Still the frontrunners on the online poll. Thank you. Now a Quick Program note. Chuck todd will have an interview on sunday morning on meet the press. Federal investigators have begun to examine the charred sections of the jet that caught fire on the runway in florida with over 100 people on board. Two remain hospitalized and we are learning about the history of the plane as the ntsb tries to figure out what happened. Nbcs Kerry Sanders has the latest. Reporter aviation sources tell nbc news the boeing 767 had been in storage for two to three years and recently had its left engine replaced. The ntsb investigation starts with an eyewitness from yesterday. Dynamic out of the left engine it looks like it is leaking a lot of i dont know if it is fuel. The fire burned about 50 gallons of jet fuel before it was put out. On board, more than 24,000 gallons for a flight to venezuela. There is a fire. Do i know what sparked the flame and the answer at this point is no. Dynamic International Airways is a Charter Airline with only five planes. But like all that operate in the United States they are subject to faa regulations an the same maintenance requirements. The faa tonight has no record of maintenance problems with dynamic. The flames that could have spread to the cabin were extinguished within one minute by the broward sheriff fire department. This is an aircraft engine fire. Eric engine fire per the battalion. Reporter it worked like the text book. It worked better than text book. Reporter tonight some of the passengers boarded a flight to car acus. Im not worried. I just want dont want to think about it. The ntsb ned a report ssh said a report on the cause could be more than a year ago. Kerry sanders. Nbc news, ft. Lauderdale. Now to a classroom emergency, two High School Students from Northern Virginia are in a burn unit after a serious fire broke out in their Chemistry Lab as the teacher was demonstrated various types of chemical fires. And as tom costello reports it is the latest example of how Dangerous School labs can be if things dont go right. Reporter it happened at one of the top high schools in the country. Wt woodson high. Fairfax county fire rescue dispatched just after 9 40 this morning. Building at 9525 main street, woodson high school, report of a fire in a room, kilo 105. The chemistry classroom. Result is annagen ol fire. We do have fire in the room. Reporter a teacher and five students burned, all taken to area hospitals. Two airlifted to d. C. Burn units, one in Critical Condition and rushed to surgery. It happens during a routine demonstration. It was a demonstration on fire and the different colors of fire. The school was quickly evacuated with many students concerned about the injured. It is kind of scary knowing this could happen to anybody in chemistry class. Although they are rare, when they occur the results can be tragedy. This boy suffered Second Degree burns. I was right front row and fire shot right at me. Reporter in denver last month four students were burned during a demonstration. The instructor who didnt have a teachers license has been criminally charged. And now the risk say experts may also increase. Tom costello, nbc news, washington. Still ahead tonight, the case that dominated the headlines, a former prep School Student convicted in a case that exposed an alleged culture of sex at one of the nations top prep schools. Now in an nbc exclusive the victims mother breaks her silence. Also the huge head cake that runaway blimp is still givin i built my business with passion. But i keep it growing by making every dollar count. Thats why i have the spark cash card from capital one. I earn unlimited 2 cash back on everything i buy for my studio. And that unlimited 2 cash back from spark means thousands of dollars each year going back into my business. Thats huge for my bottom line. Whats in your wallet . 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Just a day after sentencing in a closelywatched Sexual Assault trial, the victims mother is breaking her silence. The case ripped a lid off a sorded tradition at a prep school and gave us a rare look into teens attitudes about sex. Our Natalie Morales has the oneonone interview. It is a case that captured the nations attention. At the center, owen lab re, a former student at st. Pauls school in new hampshire, accused of raping a 15yearold girl whose identity we are concealing. Victims mom is speaking out now exclusively for the first time. When did you first know and when did she tell you what happened to her . Ill never for ged it. It was at midnight and she called my crying unconsolably and she said something awful had happened. Reporter prosecutors say he lured the girl to a roof where they had sex. They say it was part of a ritual called senior salute. Which involved graduating senior boys wooing younger girls. The case went to trial this summer. He was acquitted of felony rape charges but found guilty of a lesser felony. Using a computer to lure his underage accuser and found guilty of misdemeanor Sexual Assault. The victim testified against him. A brutal experience, according to her mom. It has been excruciating for her. But being a pretty pure soul, she just wanted to do what was right. Reporter yesterday, a judge sentenced labry to a year in jail and he is required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. The victim spoke emotionally in a video played during sentencing. Without just and right punishment, i really dont know how ill put one foot in front of the other. I dont want to felix prisoned for the rest of my life. Reporter lab re once planned to study theology at harvard. He is a kind, loving soul that is a genuine person and to his core hes an incredible person to be around. For now he is free while an appeal is pending. Natalie morales, nbc news, concord, new hampshire. There will be more of the reporting on the case tonight on the dateline at 10 00, 9 00 central. Were back in a moment with an amazing sight. One of the driest places on earth suddenly in bloom. This bale of hay cannot be controlled. When a wildfire raged through elkhorn ranch, the sudden loss of pasture became a serious problem for a family business. Faced with horses that needed feeding and a texas drought that sent hay prices soaring, the owners had to act fast. Thankfully, mary miller banks with chase for business. And with greater financial clarity and a relationship built for the unexpected, she could control her cash flow, and keep the ranch running. Chase for business. So you can own it. Chase for business. You cant breathed. Through your nose. Suddenly, youre a mouthbreather. Well, just put on a breathe right strip which instantly opens your nose up to 38 more than Cold Medicine alone. Shut your mouth and say goodnight mouthbreathers. 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And the video of the day comes from peoria, arizona. A frightful driver just in time for halloween as storm gusts blow a giant pumpkin down the street through a busy intersection and fleeing from a business halloween display, bouncing through traffic before finally getting stuck in a neighborhood park. And speaking of pumpkins. When we come back, the amazing creation this is year tha woman my mom and i have the same hands. Same eyes. Same laugh. And since shes had moderate alzheimers disease, ive discovered we have the same fighting spirit, too. Thats why i asked her doctor about new onceaday namzaric™. Vo new namzaric is approved for moderate to severe alzheimers disease in patients who are currently taking, and can continue to take certain doses of both namenda and donepezil. New namzaric is the first and only treatment to combine 2 proven alzheimers medicines into a single onceaday capsule that works 2 ways to fight the symptoms of moderate to severe alzheimers disease. Onceaday namzaric may improve cognition and overall function and may slow the worsening of symptoms for a while. Namzaric does not change how the disease progresses. It shouldnt be taken by anyone allergic to memantine, donepezil, piperidine or any of the ingredients in namzaric. Before starting treatment, tell the doctor about any medical conditions they have. Including heart or lung problems, seizures, stomach ulcers, bladder, kidney, or liver problems. Tell the doctor if the patient will have any procedures involving anesthesia, which may cause muscle problems. Other serious side effects may occur, including slow heartbeat and fainting; increased stomach acid, which may raise the chance of ulcers and bleeding; nausea and vomiting; difficulty passing urine, seizures, and worsening of lung problems. The most common side effects associated with namzaric are headache, diarrhea, dizziness, loss of appetite, and bruising. Woman mom and i share a lot of moments. 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Soon jackolanterns will greet people around the country as as Kevin Tibbles tells us, if you wan to make your pumpkin stand out this year, you have your work carved out for you. Nothing screams halloween like a carved pumpkin. But this year the familiar mugs are getting, well, a face lift. Intricatal orange orbs, the handiwork of the manny acpumpkin carvers, turning the runofthemill jackolantern into a work of art. It is a work of art and to see it carved into it is exciting. But the green of the giant gord has got to be dublin, ohios janet paris. She doesnt carve them, she paints them. I pumpkinize. That is what i do. This years offering, a 374 pound head. The trumpkin. It goes together. I mean, pumpkin trump. Trumpkin. Shes pumpkinized everything from miley serious and steve jobs to president obama. She works it all out on paper in her kitchen before taking ten hours to perform the extreme makeover. The trump kins biggest challenge the unmistakable name. 638 inch, of varying color. She plans to leave it on display past halloween, no matter what happens to the real donald in the scary world of politics. But the first order of business is trick or treat. Kevin tibbles, nbc news, dublin, ohio. That will do it for us on this friday night. Remember to set your clocks back an hour before heading to bed on saturday as daylight savings time comes to an end. I hope you have a good halloween. Kids be careful out there. Im lester holt. For all of us at nbc news, thank you for watching and good night. Gwen stefani takes on rumors. Can we set the record straight . Now on extra. Lets do this. Are they . These blake rumors . Are arent they . Just tell me. The voice costars out together in beverly hills, amping up the hook up rumors. Only weve got gwens first words. This is extra special. Plus more breaking couples news. Madonna and sean penn may be rekindling their romance. Orobin williams widow in her first interview about his suicide. I just screamed robin, what